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PRACTICAL PROJECTS 
PLAYS and GAMES 

for 

PRIMARY TEACHERS 


GAIL CALMERTON 


\« 

FORMERLY SUPERVISOR OF PRIMARY INSTRUCTION- 
FORT WAYNE (iND.) PUBLIC SCHOOLS 


“Light is the task where many share the toil ” 

Homer 



BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY 

CHICAGO 

4- 3 





L.6IV21 

,0 2 5 


Copyright, 1924, by 

BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 



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$ 


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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

©C1A815403 

DcC 29 


'Ta O 


INTRODUCTION 


•o 

TJ- 




Tliis little book is the outcome of several years of 
effort on the part of Fort Wayne Primary teachers— 
effort to combine the spirit of play with the spirit of 
work. The Fort Wayne idea of education has for 
its conscious purpose the development of American 
citizenship. Such development comes only when the 
individual in the full exercise of his own rights and 
duties is willing that all other individuals exercise 
their full rights and duties. It is the aim in all the 
games herein presented fully to conserve this spirit 
of fair play. We have sought to preserve the in¬ 
itiative of the child, but to merge all individual 
activity into one common purpose. Insofar as 
we have succeeded, we hope to have made a real 
contribution to growth in civic virtue—and that, 
it seems to us, is the real business of education in 
self-governing America. 

L. C. Ward, 

Superintendent of Schools 


Fort Wayne, Indiana 


3 


“It is one of the most beautiful 
compensations of this life , that no 
man can sincerely try to help 
another without helping himself ” 


PREFACE 


Due to the desire to get immediate results in teach¬ 
ing, customary school subjects become formal; the 
social values in education are lost sight of. It is the 
purpose of this book to share with others a few inter¬ 
esting activities found in everyday situations as 
worked out in the schools of Fort Wayne. The 
projects show some possibilities which can be accom¬ 
plished in daily work in city schools by unifying 
the children’s experiences with formal subjects with¬ 
out loss to child development. 

The projects were worked out in every instance 
with the beginnings in the child’s initiative. 

Some are merely little problem-projects of short 
duration, while others grew and grew, gathering 
impetus and interesting new workers until the orig¬ 
inal problem terminated in a class project. 

The teacher in each instance guided, but did not 
dictate. The place of the child in working out any 
purpose is to initiate through whole-hearted interest; 
the place of the teacher is to guide. With her vision 
of the possibilities of the extension of the subject 
and her knowledge of child interest, she does indeed 
hold an important place. 

The forty-four games have been used with success 
by the teachers of Fort Wayne, Ind., and I believe 
they will supply a need in other schools. 

5 


6 


PREFACE 


Tlie games are not wholly original, but are well 
chosen and adapted to the grades for which they are 
intended, having been worked out carefully with the 
children. 

The credit for this work is due in large measure 
to the many excellent teachers of the Fort Wayne 
Schools, and the purpose is accomplished if the book 
fills a felt need. 

With good wishes to all teachers, 

Gail Calmerton 


CONTENTS 


PROJECTS 

The Kindergarten 

page 

I Motivated Play . 13 

II Self-Initiated Activities . 14 

III The Hobyahs — A Motivated Play. 16 

IV A Hallowe'en Party . 17 

V A Kindergarten Party . 21 

VI Beginning of Reading in the Kindergarten. 22 

VII A Boat Project.. 23 

First Grade 

VIII Free Activity . 27 

IX A Visit to the Kindergarten. 28 

X A Day Nursery Project... 32 

XI Preparing Individual Stories. 33 

XII A Gift — Class Initiated. 36 

XIII Making a Toy Engine. 37 

XIV A Group Project—The Making of a Train. 41 

XV Our Picture Books. 43 

XVI Making a Book.. ^<"7.'._ 44 

XVII The Story Hour. 47 

Second Grade 

XVIII How a Class Bought Tinker Toys. 49 

XIX A Seed Sale . 52 

XX A Sand-Table Project. 55 

XXI Preparations for a Thanksgiving Party. 56 

XXII A Language Project — May Day . 58 

XXIII A Formal Game Raised to a Higher Standard .... 62 

XXIV A Study of Cotton. 65 

XXV A Hot-Weather Stand. 67 

XXVI Writing a Song . 69 

XXVII Ticket Office: A Number Project. 71 

7 



























8 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

XXVIII The Time-Savers’ Club. 74 

XXIX An Easter Party. 76 

XXX Some Interesting Facts about Iron. 81 

Third Grade 

XXXI A Visit to the Library . 89 

XXXII A Trip to the Market and the Country. 90 

XXXIII A Community Workroom . 93 

XXXIV A Silent Reading Project. 95 

XXXV A Thanksgiving Party . 97 

XXXVI A Humane Society Project . 99 

XXXVII A Christmas Tree Party. 102 

XXXVIII A Geography Project . 104 

XXXIX A Party . 105 

XL A Language Project — The Fairy Play. 107 

XLI A History Project. 109 

XLII A Bird Project . 118 

PLAYS AND GAMES 

The Kindergarten 

I Kindergarten Free Play. 129 

II Kindergarten Basket Ball . 131 

First Grade 

III Matching Numbers . 133 

IV Ten Pins. 134 

V Marbles .. 135 

VI Silent Beading with Toys. 136 

Second Grade 

VII Bean-Bag Game. 139 

VIII Word-Box Upset . 140 

IX A Counting Game . 141 

X Pussy Wants a Corner. 143 

XI A Number Contest. 144 

XII Quick as a Wink. 145 





























CONTENTS 


9 


PAGE 


XIII Discard: Adding Game. 146 

XIV Sums: Adding Game'. 148 

XV Dice . 149 

XVI The Race: Phonetic Game . 150 

XVII Championship of Ten or Eleven. 151 

XVIII Who Has the Rabbit?. 153 

XIX Tit-Tat-Toe ... 154 


Third Grade 

XX Post-Office . 155 

XXI Checkers . 156 

XXII Coyer Up. 158 

XXIII Ring Toss. 159 

XXIV Dominoes . 160 

XXV Take Ten, Eleven or Twelve. 161 

XXVI Fill in the Blanks. 162 

XXVII Mora or Counting Game. 168 

XXVIII Three Times and Out. 164 

XXIX Matching Game . 165 

XXX Changing Cards Game. 167 

XXXI Relay Game. 169 

XXXII Number Building .. 170 

XXXIII Who Spells First?. 171 

XXXIV Memory Speed-Game . 171 

XXXV Solitaire... 172 

XXXVI Verb Games. 173 

XXXVII Boxes. 175 

XXXVIII Group-Reading Game. 177 

XXXIX Race at the Board . 180 

XL Number Match .. 181 

XLI Tit-Tat-Toe . 182 

XLII Playing Grocery Store—Part 1. 184 

XLIII Playing Grocery Store — Part II . 188 

XLIV Playing Grocery Store — Part III . 190 


































LIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS 

PROJECTS 

Motivated Play . Kindergarten 12 

Self-Initiated Activities. Kindergarten 15 

Folding Napkins and Spreading Crackers. Kindergarten 18 

Making Butter . Kindergarten 20 

Making Five Individual Boats. Kindergarten 24 

Free Activity.. 1 B Grade 26 

Self-Initiated Projects .. 1 A-B Grade 29 

Preparing Individual Stories to Read. 1 A-B Grade 34 

Making a Toy Engine.. IB Grade 38 

Building the Freight House. 1 B Grade 40 

The Story Hour. 1 B Grade 46 

The City Market. 2 A-B Grade 53 

The Study of Iron. 2 A-B Grade 83 

Washing for Our Doll. 3 A-B Grade 92 

Preparing for Bird Day. 3 A-B Grade 121 

Printing of Names in the Picture Book. 3 A-B Grade 124 

PLAYS AND GAMES 

Kindergarten Free Play. Kindergarten 128 

Kindergarten Basket Ball .. Kindergarten 130 

Number Game with Cards . 1 A-B Grade 132 

Silent Reading with Toys... 1 A-B Grade 137 

Who Has the Rabbit?. 2 A-B Grade 152 

Group Reading. 3 A-B Grade 178 


10 
























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PRACTICAL PROJECTS 

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Motivated Play—the Kindergarten 


























I 


MOTIVATED PLAY 

Kindergarten 

In the kindergarten the mere seeing of materials 
interesting to a child will encourage self-activity, 
which leads to motivated play, such as the building 
of a boat or the giving of a tea party; and motivated 
play often leads to little problems. 

The working out of a problem at first may be of 
short duration, but is of worth to the child because 
he is experiencing every step in the process, gradu¬ 
ally gaining control of the technique necessary for 
an evergrowing better result. 

Isolation never presents itself in a healthy, normal 
life. It is in group play that there is opportunity for 
social control. 


13 


II 


SELF-INITIATED ACTIVITIES 

Kindergarten 

In the picture the children are shown working for 
the doll, which to the child suggests many possibili¬ 
ties for the making of purposeful things. 

Houses and furniture of blocks, weaving of rugs 
and the making of dolls ’ dresses are the various kinds 
of work being done. The children choose their own 
work-ideas, the teacher suggesting, when necessary. 
Many mistakes are made in the children’s work, 
which, at its best, is very crude; hut as they work 
they try out the thing they are making to see if it 
will serve the purpose for which it is intended. 

It is experience more than instruction that edu¬ 
cates. However, just being busy is not of great value 
unless such self-initiated activity calls for a natural 
development—the necessity of a choice, the judging 
of values, the overcoming of difficulties. 


14 



Self-Initiated Activities—the Kindergarten 
























Ill 


THE HOBYAHS 

A Motivated Play 

Kindergarten 

At the morning conversational period one of the 
children told to the kindergarten the story of “The 
Hobyahs ’ ’ 1 as his mother had read it to him. The 
teacher said, “Shall we play it!” 

The preparation was as follows: 

The children built the house of the largest blocks 
so that the little old woman and little old man could 
get into it. A child suggested and made a head for 
Turpee, the dog, out of a box, and cut a tail out of 
paper. Turpee had blocks for legs. Caps were made 
by the boys and girls for the Hobyahs. A little girl 
taking the part of “the Little Old Woman,” brought 
an apron from home and made some spectacles out 
of paper and the situation was set for the play. 


1 The story of The Hobyahs is found in Firelight Stories by Carolyn 
Sherwin Bailey. She states that it is one of the early English peasant 
stories handed down from one generation to another. The Hobyahs 
are wicked elves spoken of in the peasant story. 


16 



IV 


A HALLOWE’EN PARTY 

Kindergarten 

The party was given by the kindergarten for the 
IB grade. 

The idea originated when Carl asked if the kinder¬ 
garten could not have a party and invite his cousin, 
a pupil of the IB grade. 

During the conversational period, the teacher 
guided the children’s thoughts along the following 
lines: 

1. What will be needed for a party? Plates, bas¬ 
kets, napkins, decorations for room, etc. 

2. Whom shall we invite ? It was decided to invite 
all the IB children. Decorations were to be carried 
out in black, orange and green. 

Number Work : 

1. Counting the number of children who were to 
come to the party. 

2. Counting the baskets and plates needed so that 
each child would have one. Baskets to be decorated 
on each side with a pumpkin face. 

3. Counting the sides of a basket and finding out 
how many pictures would be needed for all. 

17 



Folding Napkins and Spreading Crackers for the Party 







A HALLOWE’EN PARTY 


19 


Construction Work: 

1. Chains of orange and black for room decora¬ 
tions. 

2. Baskets, one-half black, one-half orange. Black 
baskets trimmed with orange, and orange baskets 
trimmed with black. 

3. Cutting and decorating plates. 

4. Folding napkins. 

Language : 

Writing of the invitation by the teacher, worded 
by the children. The children chose Carl to deliver 
the invitation, as the idea really originated with him. 
The IB’s accepted and the party was a success. 



Making Butter—the Kindergarten 


/ 







V 


A KINDERGARTEN PARTY 

This party is worked out in a similar manner to the 
Hallowe’en Party, with the added factor of butter 
making. 

It is the part of the teacher to broaden the child’s 
experience in the guidance of making of butter for 
the party. In guiding a project it is not that the 
teacher does not plan, but that she plans in such a 
way that the children carry out, to the best advan¬ 
tage, their own desires in a way to further their 
development. 

The teacher sets the situation, the children find and 
solve their problems. 

The teacher is watchful, guiding, not dominating. 

4 ‘ More important than the mere piling up of infor¬ 
mation is an intimate acquaintance with a small num¬ 
ber of typical experiences with a view to learning how 
to deal.” 1 


1 Dr. John Dewey 


21 



VI 


BEGINNING OF READING IN THE KINDER¬ 
GARTEN 

A Problem-Project 

We had been doing a great deal of cooperative 
building in . the kindergarten. One afternoon two 
boys started a large building and were eager to have 
the teacher guess what building they were making. 
They said it was one to which she went every day. 
It was much like the Y. W. C. A., which she finally 
guessed. The teacher asked the children how a 
stranger would know what building it was, and they 
said they would put a Y. W. C. A. sign on it like the 
one down town and that is what they did. Each child 
made a sign under the teacher’s guidance and the 
largest one was placed on the front of the building. 
Another sign was placed on the side of the building 
so people approaching from two sides of the building 
could see the name. This was followed by the cut¬ 
ting out of paper people going in and out of the 
building. Motive for handling materials—cutting the 
figures, etc. 

The project carried over several days. It brought 
into play a social cooperation, and was an excellent 
approach to later reading. 


22 


VII 


A BOAT PROJECT 

Kindergarten 

How the Pkoject Began : 

Parents, newspaper writers and all patriotic peo¬ 
ple were discussing tlie advisability of a larger navy. 
One morning a little kindergartner hastened into the 
room and eagerly started to build a boat. The spirit 
was contagious and soon many children were busy 
building boats out of blocks, paper or any material 
which seemed suited to their purpose. The activity 
lasted during the period of free play. (See illustra¬ 
tion, p. 24.) 

Community Boat-Building : 

The next morning three children began community¬ 
building, this group work growing out of the individ¬ 
ual building. (See illustration, p. 25.) 

The boat-building project then advanced another 
step when the children said, “Let’s build boats that 
can sail. ’ ’ 

The need for building material—pieces of wood, 
hammers and nails—had been anticipated by the 
teacher. She gathered the children on the school 
lawn and the work began. The climax was reached 

23 



Making Five Individual Boats—the Kindergarten 










A BOAT PROJECT 


25 



Making a Community Boat—the Kindergarten 

when the children took their boats to the fountain in 
the park across the street and they really sailed. 

Note: 

Good questions to keep in mind at various stages 
of a project are— 

(a) What are you going to do with it? 

(b) Will it work? 

(c) How can you better make it suit its purpose? 

Values are immediately appreciated in terms of 
their use. In this project the boats sailed . 














Free Activity—IB Grade 



























VIII 


FREE ACTIVITY 

IB Grade 

The inability of the child to start from any point other than where 
he is, makes the use of his experience with all its narrow limitations 
not only advisable but inevitable. Patty Smith Hill 

The educational value of free activity lies in the 
fact that the experiences have a relation to life prob¬ 
lems. The difficulty of the problems, of course, varies 
with the age and experience of the children. Even 
in working similar problems there is a change of 
attitude toward material as the child grows in expe¬ 
rience. The method of attack also varies from day 
to day, as individual initiative and choice vary. 

The teacher’s part in free activity time is most 
important. Hers is the part of watchful waiting. 
She sets the situation for continued interest on the 
part of the children; she suggests and guides the 
beginnings of work toward a self-imposed task dur¬ 
ing this time of free activity. 

The children choose, but choose in relation to the 
group. 


27 


IX 


A VISIT TO THE KINDERGARTEN 

IB Grade 

Situation : 

A large wooden spool on the work-bencli suggested 
to a boy the construction of an engine. During the 
conference period many helpful suggestions, addi¬ 
tions and changes were made. Several other boys 
became interested and built engines, adding new 
parts and initiating new and clever ways of putting 
on the wheels. A coal car, passenger and freight 
cars were added. Then one morning during the con¬ 
ference period a little girl asked, 44 What are you 
going to do with your trains ?” Immediately came 
the replies: 44 Take the dolls riding.’ ’ 44 My train is a 
freight train and is to move things in.” 44 Where 
will the dolls go ?’ ’ she asked. 4 4 They could go to the 
kindergarten to visit.” 44 What will we need?” she 
asked again. 

Activities : 

1. Building of the station. Since the first grade 
did not have large floor blocks, a request was written 
to the kindergarten asking for the use of their blocks 
in building the station. A visit was made to a nearby 
railroad station to find out what we needed in our 
station. Signs were printed— 4 4 Pennsylvania Sta- 
28 


# 



Self-Initiated Projects—1A-B Grade 








































30 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


tion,” “Ticket Office,” “Baggage,” “Information,” 
“News Stand,” “Restaurant,” “Rest Rooms,” etc. 

2. While in the kindergarten the children noticed 
that the kindergarten needed doll furniture. Since 
the kindergarten did not have a work-bench, a group 
of boys decided to make a set of wooden furniture. 
One boy made a doll bed by a new and clever design, 
for which the girls made a mattress, linens and 
spread. They also dressed a celluloid doll to fit 
the bed. They gave the outfit to the kindergarten 
girls. 

3. Benches and furniture for the station were made 
at the work-bench. 

4. Trunks, handbags and suitcases were made of 
cardboard and leatherette. 

5. Girls prepared their dolls for the trip by mak¬ 
ing hats, coats, and capes. 

Comment : 

The social aspect which developed along with this 
project became more and more evident as the activ¬ 
ities grew. The discussions during the conference pe¬ 
riod led to much representative and dramatic play, as 
in preparation for the trip, what the dolls needed, the 
buying and selling of tickets, checking of baggage, 
putting up signs and signals, etc. A close coopera¬ 
tion developed between the kindergarten and first 
grade. The kindergarten became interested in see¬ 
ing how the toys were made and they enjoyed playing 
with them while the first-grade children were 


A VISIT TO THE KINDERGARTEN 


31 


anxious to explain their work, and took great pleas¬ 
ure in being of service to the kindergarten children. 
They were given many opportunities to investigate, 
to test, to arrange and to judge values. They dis¬ 
covered the durability of their construction projects 
as in real life through use. It was found in pulling 
the trains filled with passengers some distance, bag¬ 
gage or freight, that the wheels must be fastened 
more securely; that the station to stand several days 
must be built more carefully and the tracks to be of 
service must also be laid carefully. 

Many valuable language and reading lessons re¬ 
sulted from the experience gained, and excursions 
taken during the progress of this project. These 
records were made by the children and kept in a 
large book. This project with its outgrowth lasted 
several weeks, all the children in the room taking 
part in its development. 

Note: The train and engine projects show differ¬ 
ent methods of approach, when the child ’s initiative 
is used with similar materials. 


X 


A DAY NURSERY PROJECT 

First Grade t 

The children had been hearing a great deal about 
the Day Nursery which was to be established in a new 
home. During the discussion conference one morn¬ 
ing it was brought out that the directors, who were 
much in need of toys, were asking for contributions. 
The boys suggested that they could make toys at the 
work-bench, and the girls suggested that they could 
make and dress stocking-dolls, weave tarn o’ shanters, 
scarfs, muffs and rugs. 

The boys made an entire set of living-room and 
bedroom furniture for a doll house. The girls made 
and dressed several stocking dolls, wove rugs and a 
hammock, made covers for the tables, dresser and 
buffet. Several discarded toys were brought from 
home, mended and repainted at the work-bench. 
During the occupation period several attractive scrap 
and Mother Goose books were made, also a “ Peter 
Rabbit” and a “The Three Bears” book, for which 
reading material was furnished from discarded read¬ 
ers, cut up. By Thanksgiving a box full of toys 
was ready for the Day Nursery. 


32 


XI 


PREPARING INDIVIDUAL STORIES 

IB Grade 

How the Project Started : 

An invitation to a kindergarten party had been 
accepted by the IB Grade. The question arose, 
“How shall we return this courtesy V 9 
It was finally decided to give an entertainment and 
to invite the kindergartners. Singing, playing a 
story, and other games were suggested, and through 
the guidance of the teacher it was decided to read 
stories from books. 

The story project as worked out follows. 

Questions : 

Choice of stories. 

Who shall read? 

Answers : 

Each child will select a story to read from the mis¬ 
cellaneous sets of books on the library table. All 
cannot read in the limited time, so the five best read¬ 
ers shall represent the class. 

Procedure : 

Each child studied his selection during the story- 
hour period under the guidance of the teacher. Dur- 

33 



Preparing Individual Stories to Read to the Kindergarten—1A-B Grade 











PREPARING INDIVIDUAL STORIES 


35 


ing opening exercises for several mornings the chil¬ 
dren read their stories to the class. 

The five best readers were chosen after considering 
what would make the story interesting: 

Knowing the mechanics. 

Speaking words plainly. 

Using natural tone of voice. 

Reading with appreciation. 

This project led up to contests in reading with the 
1A grade. 


XII 


A GIFT 

Class-Initiated 

First Grade 

Little Bobby was just home from the hospital after 
undergoing an operation, the effects of which would 
keep him out of school for some time. 

We decided to make a picture book for him, such 
as we were enjoying here. 

Pictures were carefully selected and pasted, each 
child making a page. When put together and the 
book finished, we went in a body to call on Bobby. 

The picture book was presented with many wishes 
that he would soon be able to join his classmates 
again. 

Many presents had been showered on the little 
boy, but his mother reported that the one that gave 
the most joy was the book from his class. 

The reflected pleasure felt by the class was also 
a valuable lesson. 


36 


XIII 


MAKING A TOY ENGINE 

IB Grade 

Several large, wooden factory spools were placed 
on the work-bench and the children were given an 
opportunity to experiment and discover for them¬ 
selves the many possible ways in which they might be 
used. A spool suggested to one little boy the con¬ 
struction of an engine. He used the large spool for 
the body of the engine. He built a cab of wood to fit 
the body of the engine; he used four disk-shaped 
pieces of wood for the wheels; he sawed a triangular 
piece of wood for the cowcatcher, made the smoke¬ 
stack with a small spool, contrived a way of putting 
on a tiny bell so that it could be rung from the cab, 
and fastened a tiny electric bulb on the front of the 
engine for a light. 

The other boys in the class became interested and 
built engines, adding new parts and initiating differ¬ 
ent ways of putting on the wheels. During the con¬ 
ference period many helpful suggestions were given. 
The children had discovered from pictures of engines 
in the library, also from toy engines, many new parts 
which they did not know, as sand dome, steam dome, 
side rods, etc., that are on every locomotive engine. 
The uses of these various parts were discussed and 

37 





Making a Toy Engine—IB Grade 





























MAKING A TOY ENGINE 


39 


they were added to the engines. The level of the 
work was further raised by discussions in confer¬ 
ence showing the necessity for careful and accurate 
workmanship. Such questions as these came up: 
“Your cab does not fit. Why?” “What makes 
your engine set lopsided?” “The wheels on your 
engine are not straight.” Thus they discovered 
for themselves the need for careful and accurate 
measurements. This afforded a splendid oppor¬ 
tunity to teach the use of the ruler and the square. 

Many other activities grew out of the making of 
this toy engine. Coal cars, passenger and freight 
cars were constructed of wood. A large Union Sta¬ 
tion was built of blocks. Signs for all parts of the 
station, as “ Waiting Room, ” “ Ticket Office, ” “ Bag¬ 
gage Room,” “Lunch Room,” etc., were printed and 
put up. Taxi-cabs were constructed and used to take 
the dolls to the station, where they purchased tickets 
and took long rides on the trains, finally returning to 
the doll house. The freight trains were used to carry 
doll furniture to the doll house, and to move various 
things in the room. Many of these representative 
and dramatic plays furnished not only a great deal 
of pleasure for the children, but splendid material 
for language and reading lessons, both oral and 
silent. 

The project carried over into “A Visit to the Kin¬ 
dergarten. ’ ’ 


% 



Building the Freight House—IB Grade 























XIV 


A GROUP PROJECT 

The Making of a Train, Out of Which Grew Many 
Social Activities 

IB Grade 

These train projects were worked out by several 

groups showing different attacks upon a problem. 

CONSTRUCTION WORK : 

1. Through the suggestion coming from large 
spools on the work-table, the boys constructed 
different types of engines. 

2. Many parts were added through sugges¬ 
tions given in the conference group. 

3. Coal cars and other cars were added. There 
were passenger trains and freight trains. 

Uses of Trains: 

1. Just the pleasure of pulling them about 
the room. 

2. To take the dolls riding. 

3. To carry materials about the room. 

Language and Social Value : 

1. Discussion in conference group. Uses of 
trains. Have we always had trains? How did 
the pioneer people and the pilgrims travel? 

41 


42 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


2. Show through pictures the different ways 
of travel, both primitive and modern. 

3. How are you going to use your trains f 

(a) To take the dolls riding. (Girls make 
hats and coats for the dolls for traveling.) 

(b) Where do we take the train? (Boys 
build a large station with large blocks in the 
kindergarten, where the dolls go to visit.) 

(c) Freight trains used to carry extra 
doll furniture, which has been made at the 
work-table, into the kindergarten. 

Reading : 

1. Write the stories of the children, telling 
how they made the different things in the project, 
as doll, dress, car and engine, on the board. 

2. Read these stories after they have been 
printed on the press. 

Painting and Drawing : 

1. Drawing of trains, stations and people on 
the board with crayon. 

2. Painting of trains and station scenes at 
the easel. 

Printing: (Use printing-press.) 

1. Making signs for the paintings and draw¬ 
ings. 

2. Print the name of the station. 


XV 


OUR PICTURE BOOKS 

IB Grade 

Each child chose colored construction paper for 
his book-cover and drawing paper 9 by 12 inches for 
the leaves. 

Each child decorated his own cover. For this dec¬ 
oration, he used the 1-inch parquetry circles and 
squares, also designs made with colored crayons. 

The teacher exposed to the children printed words 
such as IB used at times. 

The project as worked out for one page involved: 

(a) Drawing spring birds with colored crayons, 
as the children see them out of doors. 

(b) Finding and pasting the word bird underneath 
the picture. 

(c) As any child finds the word bird, at home or 
in school, he is interested in pasting it on his bird 
page. 

Pasting, poster work, cutting, etc. Pictures from 
magazines are used in the books. 

Approach to reading: 

Numbering of pages. 

Printing their own names, with press. 

Printing little sentences by pupils or with 
the teacher to help out. 


43 


XVI 


MAKING A BOOK 


IB Grade 


Material : 

Large sheets of manila cardboard. 
Printing press. 


Procedure: 


The printing is done by the teacher hut the 
subject matter is originated by the children. 


Daily Paper : 

I —Cover Page: 

1. Name, IB Journal. 

2. Port Wayne, Indiana. 

3. Monday, April, 1921. 


II— Contents: 

1. Local News: 

Mary is sick. 

2. Lost and Found page: 

John lost his book. 

3. Market page: 

Oranges are five cents. 

4. Fashion page: 

This is a pretty blue dress. (Illustrate with 
dress made by child.) 

44 


MAKING A BOOK 


45 


5. Health page: 

Boys and girls should wash their faces and 
hands and clean their teeth before they go 
to school. 

6. Story: 

Story retold by the children: “The Little 
Red Hen.” 

7. Poem: 

A favorite poem. 

8. Jokes: 

Jean forgot to take oft her hat. 

9. Items of Interest: 

The fireman. 

The fireman came today. He rang the bell. 
Then we had a fire drill. We ran out quickly. 
Then we came back. That was all. 

10. Weather Report: 

It is raining today. 

11. Garden page: 

It is time to plant our garden. 

12. Nature page: 

We saw some robins this morning. 

All of this work was initiated by the children, but 
the teacher set a “selected and controlled environ¬ 
ment. ’’ 

There is no one right way of working a project. 
It is unity, not uniformity, that controls individual 
progress. 



The Story Hour—IB Grade 

























XVII 


THE STORY HOUR 

IB Grade 

Situation : 

Long tables suitable for group work. 

Small tables and chairs. 

Low, open shelves with contents within reach of 
the children. 

Books: Class sets, group sets, easy individual 
readers. 

Picture-books and cards. 

Procedure : 

Through conversation with the teacher and each 
other the children make plans as to what shall be 
done during the story-hour period. 

Study groups are formed. 

One group prepares a story to be read to an audi¬ 
ence (another group or another class). This means 
reading and rereading, in order to read entertain¬ 
ingly, so that others will care to listen. 

Another group makes a picture-story-book which 
will be read to the kindergarten class. 

A third group makes a Peter Rabbit or similar 
book. 


47 


48 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


Each group quietly occupies itself, the teacher 
supervising. 

Each member of each group should thoroughly 
understand what is to he done and how to do it before 
the group is left without supervision. 


XVIII 


HOW A CLASS BOUGHT TINKER TOYS 

Second Grade 

Money left over from party—ninety-five cents. 
Meeting called to discuss what could be bought 
for the sum of ninety-five cents. The children felt 
the need of constructive material, so these things 
were suggested: 

(a) Work Bench: 

1. Costs more than the sum we have. 

2. Tools. We could not buy enough to do nny 

good. 

(b) Paper Cambric for Doll Dresses: 

1. Only two yards of material could be pur¬ 

chased. 

2. Measuring to find out how much two yards is. 

3. Would it be fair to buy material that only 

part of the class can use? 

4. Girls decided to bring their own material from 

home and use the money for something else. 

(c) Tinker Toy Set: 

1. Everyone could use it. 

2. It would satisfy the desire to make toys. 

49 


50 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


3. Set costs 85c. 

4. There would still be 10c left. 

5. Thrift discussion on not spending every cent. 

6. Many interesting toys were made and talked 

about in the conference group. 

Several weeks later a number of the children were 
dissatisfied because they could not finish a windmill 
and haystacker, for lack of material, and asked if 
they could not have another set. Ways were sug¬ 
gested as to how to get it. 

(a) Amount in fund too small to buy another set. 

(b) Disadvantage of bringing sets from home. 

(c) Increase the fund. 

1. By bringing money from home. 

2. By selling old newspapers and magazines. 

This w T as decided the best thing to do. 

3. Number experience: Counting the money. 

It came to ninety-three cents, which was the 

amount received for the newspapers. 

The warm room had a tendency to dry out the wood 
and the toys would fall apart if handled. The next 
discussion was about how the toys could be made sub¬ 
stantial. 

1. Glue (but the parts could not be used again). 

2. Making holes smaller by fitting in small pieces 

of paper (untidy). 


CLASS BOUGHT TINKER TOYS 


51 


3. Wetting the ends of the sticks before joining 
them in the spools causes them to swell and 
fit tightly. (This is the most satisfactory 
way that has been found so far.) 

Knowledge gained through experience is lasting. 
Difficulties met and surmounted, and the attitude of 
the learner in the endeavor to reach an ideal are of 
more value than the perfected result. 

“Anything is of educational value which makes a 
desirable difference in conduct. ’ ’ 1 



XIX 


A SEED SALE 

Second Grade 

Situation : 

A class of second-grade children had become in¬ 
terested in a Junior Red Cross membership drive 
and wished to earn its dues of forty-five cents by 
selling seeds. 

Activities : 

The children gathered seeds from home gardens. 
Each child made an envelope according to his own 
ideas. The best envelope was selected by the class, 
its owner was asked to explain how he made it and 
many more were made like it. Then each child dec¬ 
orated an envelope. The decorations were discussed 
by the class and the most attractive designs were re¬ 
peated many times on other envelopes. 

The class advertised the sale well. Many children 
brought to school advertisements cut from magazines 
and newspapers. These were read to find out how 
to write an advertisement. The class observed that 
a good advertisement tells where and when to buy 
an article, and how cheap and how good it is. With 
these four points in mind, the children set about writ¬ 
ing advertisements, first learning to spell the words, 
then practicing them on the board and finally writ- 
52 


mmm 

I wi 



The City Market—2A-B Grade 



















































54 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


ing the advertisements on large pieces of unprinted 
newspaper. They cut large baskets and vases of 
flowers from colored paper to beautify their adver¬ 
tisements. They also painted pictures of flowers, 
printed their names beneath them and hung them 
about the room. The large advertisements or post¬ 
ers were hung in the halls. Children were chosen to 
go to the different rooms and explain the purpose of 
the sale, telling a little about the work of the Junior 
Red Cross Society. 

When the seeds were in the envelopes ready to be 
sold the question arose, “Who should sell them?” 
It was decided to play buying seeds with toy money 
in order to find out who would make good salesmen. 
In this manner several good clerks were discovered, 
but when the real sale took place there was such an 
unexpected rush that the little sales people became 
confused and the teacher had to do most of the sell¬ 
ing herself. 

One hundred and three packages of seeds were sold 
and many disappointed customers were turned away. 

Comment : 

This project unified the art, English and number 
work; furnished material for occupation periods 
and awakened an interest in nature and her mar¬ 
velous work of producing, protecting and scattering 
seeds. 


XX 


A SAND-TABLE PROJECT 

Second Grade 

Through work at the wood-bench the class became 
interested in lumber. During free periods stereop- 
ticon views of the lumbering industry were in de¬ 
mand. One day we visited a planing mill to see how 
lumber is sawed and planed and turned. One man 
showed us how the machinery worked. Another told 
us about the different kinds of wood and where they 
came from and gave each child some samples. 

On the way home one little boy said, “We might 
make a lumber story on our sand table. ” This sug¬ 
gestion was brought before the class by the teacher 
and we discussed ways of working out a lumber story. 

On a large map the children found where Califor¬ 
nia and Michigan, two states mentioned at the mill, 
are located. They talked about how they would bring 
redwood from California and pine from Michigan. 

When the story was completed in the sand table, it 
contained a mill and a miller, a train bringing red¬ 
wood from California, a boat bringing pine from 
Michigan, a wagon hauling logs to the mill and an 
auto full of boards leaving the mill. At the other 
side of the mill were piles of little boards which the 
children had carefully sawed into lengths. 

55 


XXI 


PREPARATIONS FOR A THANKSGIVING PARTY 

Second Grade 

Pilgrim tableaux were planned for the main part 
of the entertainment. Afterward Pilgrim stories 
were found and read to the class by children and by 
the teacher. After Pilgrim pictures were looked at, 
favorite scenes were selected by the class. Then the 
tableaux were planned and worked out. When a 
tableau met with approval, a short description of 
it was given by the class, words in the description 
were spelled, and a record of it was kept by each 
member of the class in a little book made for that 
purpose. The tableaux were named and numbered 
as follows: 

1. Leaving Holland. 

2. Landing in America. 

3. The First Wash Day. 

4. Learning to Plant Corn. 

5. Going to Church. 

6. Indian War Dance. 

7. The White Man’s Drill. 

8. The First Thanksgiving Feast. 

9. Smoking the Peace Pipe. 

10. Giving Beads to the Indians. 

56 


A THANKSGIVING PARTY 


57 


To make the scenes more real, simple costumes 
were made of soft paper, beads were made of clay, 
cardboard fisli were cut, a sail was made for the May¬ 
flower, and the dates, 1620 and 1920, were printed on 
large cards to be worn by two boys, one carrying an 
English flag, and the other an American flag. Two 
collections of sea shells and two interesting stones 
were brought in. These together with a starfish and 
a stuffed alligator furnished material for nature 
lessons. 

After the tableaux were arranged and Thanksgiv¬ 
ing songs were learned, baskets were made to hold 
popcorn and invitations were written and delivered. 


XXII 


A LANGUAGE PROJECT 
May Day 

Second Grade 

One day in April we were talking about the month 
of May, to which all were looking forward. We 
spoke of May Day customs, hanging baskets of 
flowers on friends’ doors, dancing around Maypoles 
and choosing May Queens. 

Then the question, “How do you want to observe 
May Day this year!” was asked by the children. 

May Day, we found, would come on Saturday and 
so we decided to celebrate in some way a day or two 
before this May Day. 

At Christmas time we had given a play. The chil¬ 
dren remembered this and suggested that we give 
another for May Day. This idea met with approval, 
so plans were discussed. 

The children remembered finding many Christmas 
stories in the books, and thought they might find in 
the library books a May story which they could 
dramatize. So it was decided that each child should 
take a book to look through and that a meeting be 
held a few days later to find out whether any one had 
found a suitable story. 


58 


A LANGUAGE PROJECT 


59 


At the meeting the children reported that they had 
not found a May story, so the teacher said, “If we 
want a May play, I think we shall have to write one 
ourselves. How would you like to help do that ? ’ ’ 
This the children thought would be fun, and so we 
started making plans. 

When suggestions were given we tried them out 
and kept adding to them until we finally had this play 
written on the board: 


MAY PLAY 

Time: Thirtieth of April. 

Place: Auditorium Stage. 

Characters: May, a little girl wearing a big summer hat 
and a dainty flower dress. 

Sunshine, a little girl wearing a yellow dress 
with a circle of yellow crepe paper sunbeams 
around her neck. 

Rain, a little boy wearing a raincoat and hat. 

The children enter and group themselves on the stage. 
May dances in, attended by Sunshine and Rain. 

Sunshine carries a stuffed bird and Rain carries a basket 
of flowers. After May is seated they kneel and present these 
gifts to her. 

A Child: Why May! What makes you come so soon ? 
May: I haven’t seen you for almost a year, so I came to 
make you just a little visit, but I am coming Saturday to 
stay a whole month. 

A Child: Oh good! And will you bring us some birds 
and flowers? 


60 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


May: Yes, I have some with me now. 

A Child: And will you bring Sunshine and Rain? 

May: Yes, they are always with me. This is Sunshine 
[Sunshine curtsies ], and this is Rain. [Rain bows to the 
children.\ 

A Child: We were expecting you Saturday, so we have 
written some songs to sing to you. Would you like to hear 
them ? 

May: Oh, yes, please sing them. [The children sing.] 

May: Those were very pretty songs. Now will you dance 
for me ? 

Children: We’d like to dance for you. [Some one playi 
simple melodies and the children dance and interpret the 
melodies.] 

May: Would you like to see Sunshine dance? 

Children: Oh, yes! [Sunshine dances.] 

A Child: May Rain dance, too? 

May: He may try, but I am afraid he will fall. He al¬ 
ways falls. [Rain tries to dance, but falls several times. 
Each time Sunshine picks him up.] 

May: Come Sunshine and Rain, we must go now. Good¬ 
bye, children, I ’ll be back Saturday. 

Children: Good-bye, May. 

[Sunshine and Rain make an arch with their arms, some 
one plays a simple melody and the children, using original 
steps, dance under the arch and off the stage.] 

When the play was written, the question arose, 
“Who shall say the different things that are to be 
said ?’’ 

It was decided that the children in small groups 


A LANGUAGE PROJECT 


61 


and individually should read the play aloud, and that 
we would choose those who read with best expres¬ 
sion and pronounced their words distinctly to take 
special parts. 

After the play was given, some child suggested 
that we print this story in a booklet. This furnished 
us material for many spelling and occupation periods. 

A group consciousness of something to be per¬ 
formed and teamwork in executing the plan make 
use of present life interests and present a setting for 
character formation in social behavior. 


XXIII 


A FORMAL GAME RAISED TO A HIGHER 
STANDARD 

Second Grade 

How the Project Started : 

The children had been playing several games which 
different members of the class had chosen. They had 
some experience in changing a formal game to one 
less formal. One little girl said, “Let ’s find another 
game that we can change and make it harder. The 
teacher suggested the familiar singing game, “Hur¬ 
rah for the Sailor Boy.” 

Hurrah for the sailor boy 
A-sailing on the sea! 

He pulls the rope and tightens it, 

As tight as tight can be. 

Well done the sailor boy, 

Well done the sailor boy, 

Well done the sailor boy, 

A-sailing on the sea. 

The little game was learned. The next problem 
was how to make the game harder. 

1. Different skipping steps were suggested. 

62 


GAME RAISED TO HIGHER STANDARD 63 


2. Tlie sailor could do something beside pull the 
rope and tighten it. 

(a) Problem: What are some of the things which 
sailors do when they are sailing on the sea ? 

(b) Problem answered: Sailors do all their own 
cooking. They clean their ships and guns. They 
wash their own clothes and do their own mending. 

How can we put this into the game ? 

This is the way it was done: 

Hurrah for the sailor boy 
A-sailing on the sea! 

He washes his clothes and irons them, 

A neat sailor boy is he. 

How shall we play this? 

The children worked out their own dance. 

No more information could be secured from the 
class. The children said they would ask father, 
uncle or brother to tell them other things that sailors 
do. Pictures of sailors and ships were brought 
from the library. Information was brought every 
day and the game added to from time to time, little 
by little. 

“Sailors scrub the floor with a stone.” 

‘ ‘ Sailors do not tell time by clocks but by bells. ’ ’ 

“The sailors stop the ship b}^ letting down an 
anchor. They must know where the sea is deep and 
where it is shallow. They anchor their ship in deep 
water and pull for the shore in rowboats or tugs.” 


64 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


The singing game was completed as follows 

* 

Hurrah for the sailor boy, 

A-sailing on the sea! 

He drops his anchor from the ship 
And stops it out at sea. 

Refrain 


Hurrah for the sailor boy, 

A-sailing on the sea! 

He takes a boat and pulls for shore, 

A strong sailor is he. 

Refrain 


XXIV 


A STUDY OF COTTON 

Second Grade 

How the Project Started : 

A group of children were stuffing stocking dolls 
with cotton. The following conversation was over¬ 
heard : 

John: 1 ‘Isn’t this nice cotton? It is soft, just 
like a sheep. It grows on the back of a sheep. ’ ’ 
Dorothy: “Oh, no, it doesn’t, John. It grows on 
small hushes down south. I have seen it and I know. 
It is wool that grows on the sheep.” 

Robert: “Yes, that is right. I know because my 
father brought back a cotton bush and seeds when 
he came from the south.” 

John came to the teacher and inquired if cotton 
really does grow on bushes. 

Problem : 

Discussed at morning conference. 

I. Children who had seen cotton growing related 
many interesting facts. 

1. How a cotton field looks. 

2. How the blossom looks. 

3. How it is picked: by colored people. 

4. What happens to the seeds. 

65 


66 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


5. How the cotton is baled. 

6. How it is changed into cloth at the factory. 

7. Lists of articles made of cotton. 

H. Children offered to bring cotton bolls, seeds 
and pictures from home to show the class. 

III. Stereoscopes, pictures and stories of cotton 
were brought from the library. 

IV. Robert brought a flower-pot and several seeds 
and asked if he might plant them. 

1. The seeds failed to grow. 

(a) Reason given: The days do not stay 
warm long enough in the north and 
we cannot keep the seeds moist 
enough. 

V. Rosemarie asked her mother to write a letter 
to her aunt, who is in the south, asking her to send 
postal cards about cotton. 

1. Rosemarie read the postal cards to the class. 

VI. The most interesting information was written 
on the blackboard and used as a reading lesson. 


XXV 


A HOT-WEATHER STAND 

Second Grade 

Situation : 

When the children came back to school in Septem¬ 
ber they related the experiences which they had dur¬ 
ing the summer vacation. 

They brought pictures of things which had helped 
to keep them cool. A collection of these pictures had 
been made, when one day the principal came to the 
door with a box of toy money. The teacher asked the 
class what it would like to do with this money. 44 Play 
store/’ was the reply. The teacher said, 4 4 Would 
you like to make a hot-weather stand and play at 
buying and selling some of the things which kept you 
cool last summer V 9 44 Oh, yes , 9 ’ was the answer. So 
plans were made for the project. 


Plans Made by Class : 

To use a long, narrow stand for a counter and a 
box for a table. 

To cover and decorate the counter with pretty 
paper. 

To make paper cups or glasses. 

To make doilies for the table. 

67 


68 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


To arrange a place where cups could be washed in 
boiling water after being used. 

To make little booklets telling the names and prices 
of different drinks and dishes. 

To choose one child to make change and another 
to serve. 

Activities : 

All of the plans mentioned were carried out and 
then the play of buying and selling, of which the chil¬ 
dren never tire, commenced. 

Comment : 

These activities gave rise to spelling, writing and 
drawing lessons and furnished many a good problem 
in arithmetic such as u How many friends can I treat 
to ice cream soda if I have fifty cents and ice cream 
soda is ten cents a glass?” “How much of a quarter 
must I give back if some one buys only a five-cent 
glass of lemonade V 9 etc. 

They gave the teacher a chance to lead the interest 
of the class out into the industries of the neighbor¬ 
hood and surrounding country, the industries con¬ 
nected with wholesale fruit houses, ice-cream facto¬ 
ries and a dairy farm. 


XXVI 


WRITING A SONG 

Second Grade 

How the Play Started : 

One morning little Margaret handed her teacher 
an old tablet back on which she had written a song, 
words and music. 

Nothing had been said in the music lessons about 
composing verses and melodies, hence the teacher 
was delighted, but she found the music hard to read 
in spite of the pretty thought and rhythm. 

Troubles Encountered: 

Two flats wrongly placed on the staff. 

Notes did not conform to rules of music. 

Procedure: 

The teacher asked the little composer to sing her 
song. 

The little girl could not do so. 

The teacher said, “ Would you like to tell the class, 
Margaret, about your song and ask them to help you 
with the music?” 

Margaret assented to this plan and her verse was 
written on the board: 


69 


70 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


I know a little girl, 

Her name is Betty Ann; 

And everywhere she goes, 

She takes a little pan. 

Pupils offered melodies and the best was chosen. 
The class worked out the melody in music syllables. 
Study of rhythm in the verse and discussion of its 
relation to meter followed, and signature in music 
was explained. 

The class composed the following melody: 





—x 

=t=f: 

=|=F 

—r 


4 ) ^4 J 

w w 

9 9 


9 9 

W W 


— 


V-^-2-++ 

—H- 



-1 —— 

— 1-1— 

-1 

L ~tn - 5 - 


jJl 

* 



--—1 


Remarks : 


Boy: If some more of us would make up songs, 
we could make a book and put them in it. I have an 
idea for one now. 

Several: I ’m going to make one. 

Result : 

Many of the children made song books and, through 
the teacher’s guidance, as many opportunities came 
to show it, the improvement in technique in the fol¬ 
lowing subjects was manifest: Reading, Spelling, 
Drawing, Music, Writing, Language. 




































XXVII 


TICKET OFFICE 
A Number Project 

Second Grade 

A box of toy money lay on a table where the chil¬ 
dren could examine it and talk about it at their 
leisure. 

One day they were asked how they would like to 
play Ticket Office and use this money. All agreed 
that this would be a good thing to do, so a meeting 
was held at which plans were made for the play. 

In accordance with these plans, a large window 
was made of cardboard and the words, ‘ 4 Ticket 
Office ’ 9 were printed above it. Maps were used to 
locate cities and towns mentioned in the plans. With 
a ruler children measured to find how relatively near 
such places were to Fort Wayne, and fixed the fares 
accordingly. 

The best writers made the tickets and each child 
made for himself a paper bill, printing whatever 
amount he chose in the corners. 

With an agent sitting at the window and a line of 
children ready to buy tickets, the play commenced. 
While all wished to be agent and many tried, only a 
few succeeded, the rest finding it difficult or quite 
impossible to make the right change. So a meeting 
71 


72 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


was called to discuss the difficulties and offer sug¬ 
gestions, and it was • decided to stop playing until 
all had learned the number work they needed to know 
in order to make change. 

It was a good many weeks before this was accom¬ 
plished, but at the end of that time the play started 
again with satisfaction to all. 

As each child bought a ticket, he would take a seat 
in the station and wait for the rest and then all would 
leave together, until one day it was suggested that 
all should not leave at the same time as they were 
going in different directions and should take differ¬ 
ent trains. So again the map was studied to find 
what direction, north, south, east or west, these places 
were from Fort Wayne and the places were grouped 
according to the direction. The time at which the 
trains should leave for the north, south, east and 
west was decided upon and written above the groups. 

A toy clock was put in the station, but none knew 
enough about telling time to operate it, so the children 
learned to tell the time and then one child operated 
the clock while another child called the trains as they 
became due. 

From day to day postal cards were brought in 
showing views of the cities in which the children had 
become interested. Some of these views were copied 
on large pieces of paper and hung in the station. 

Then one day the children were told that company 
was coming to watch them play Ticket Office and that 
some might wonder about many things as, for in- 


TICKET OFFICE 


73 


stance, who painted the pictures. So it was decided 
to write a story of all that had been done and read it 
to the visitors. 

Spelling periods were used for this work until the 
story was completed. 

Class Story: 

We wanted to make a ticket office. 

First we made tickets. Our best writers made them. 

We looked on the map and found where the places 
are that the tickets would take us to. 

We measured to find how far they are from Fort 
Wayne. 

We made the ticket to New York cost the most be¬ 
cause New York is farthest away. 

We put on the board the time when trains leave 
for the north, south, east and west. 

We learned to tell time so we should not miss the 
train, and we learned number combinations so we 
could make change. 

Betty made the pictures. Helen printed the words. 

We learned how to spell words so we could write 
about our ticket office. 


XXVIII 


THE TIME-SAVERS’ CLUB 

Second Grade 

Situation : 

The children were often disappointed because of 
lack of time to accomplish something desired. The 
conference was called by the teacher. 

A discussion of how time might be saved for such 
purpose was opened. 

The children’s decision, guided by the teacher: 

1. To form a Time-Savers’ Club to meet every 
Friday. 

2. Members to include all who could tell of ways 
in which they had saved time each day of the week. 

3. The leader of the club would be a member ap¬ 
pointed at each meeting. 

4. The work of the club. The leader, with the aid 
of a committee chosen by himself, to plan and direct 
the program for the meeting following the election. 

The Type of Program Arranged : 

1. A puppet show—“The Little Red Hen.” 

2. A clay modeling contest. 

3. Dramatization of an original play. 

74 


THE TIME-SAVERS’ CLUB 


75 


4. Fifteen-minute speed-test for putting together 
original puzzles. 

5. Number races. 

Result : 

Improvement in habits and orderliness, speed, at¬ 
titude toward right living in school. 

Dr. Bowser, in The Elementary School Curricu¬ 
lum, says that the facts and principles of the for¬ 
mal skills in education are of value only in the degree 
in which we use them in furthering the purposive 
life-activities. 


XXIX 


AN EASTER PARTY 

Second Grade 

How the Project Started : 

Through conversation. 

1. Preparation for Easter at home. 

2. Preparation for Easter at school. 

Children ask if they may have an Easter party. 

A meeting is called to make plans for the party. 

Social Problems: 

Whom shall we invite? 

1. May we invite both kindergarten and first 
grade! 

2. Let us find out how many children there are 
in our three grades. 

3. A little girl comes back with the following 
report: 

Kindergarten.24 children 

First grade.30 children 

Our grade.30 children 

Total.84 children 

Number Experience: 

Number experience involved in the project: How 
much will it cost to give a party to 84 children? 
What do we need? 


76 






AN EASTER PARTY 


77 


(a) Tlie class decides to have cookies and candy 
for refreshments. 

(b) We need 84 cookies for 84 children. 

The teacher suggests that the baker 
would prefer to know the number of dozen 
rather than the number of units. 

(c) How can we find out how many dozen there 
are in 84? 

(d) Hortense says there are 12 things in 1 
dozen. If we had the cookies, we could 
put a dozen here and a dozen here, etc., 
until we found out how many dozen there 
were in 84. 

One child decides to play that the box 
of dominoes are cookies and every one 
watches to find out how many dozen there 
are in 84. The children find out there are 
7 dozen in 84. 

(e) The children have no idea how much candy 
they will need. The teacher tells them 5 
lbs. will be sufficient. 

(f) We need to make 7 dozen baskets for our 
party. 

(g) We need 7 dozen paper doilies for our 
cookies. 

(h) We need 7 dozen napkins. 

(i) We need to make 7 dozen napkin rings. 

(j) How many tables do we need? 

The children find out that 12 can sit 
easily at 1 table. Then we need 7 tables. 


78 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


(k) We need to buy more crepe paper for 
table-clotlis. If 2 rolls were enough for 
our valentine party, 4 new rolls should be 
enough for this party. 

The class decided to use yellow and white crepe 
paper for table decorations, and decorative paper for 
windows. The list of materials was kept on the board 
with the price of each. 

7 dozen cookies (given by the teacher as her 


share of the expense).... 

4 rolls of white crepe paper at 10c a roll. . . .$0.40 

3 rolls of yellow crepe paper at 10c a roll.30 

1 roll decorative paper at 25c a roll.25 

7 dozen napkins at 5c a doz.35 

3 packages paper doilies at 5c per pkg.15 

5 lbs. of candy at 25c a lb. 1.25 

2 boxes of Easter seals at 10c a box.20 

$21)5 


1. If each one brings 10c we will have $3.00, enough 
to pay for the party. 

2. The amount was counted each day. Drill in 
counting cents by 1 ’s and 2 ’s, nickels by 5’s and 
dimes by 10’s. 

3. More money was brought in than was needed, 
so the class decided to buy Easter flowers for 
table decorations. 

4. Who is going to buy our things at the store ? 

(a) Some one suggested that the teacher buy all 








AN EASTER PARTY 


79 


the things and then we could play store 
here. 

(b) The store was established on a table. 

(c) Signs and prices were printed. 

(d) A storekeeper was selected. 

(e) Articles were wrapped so that they would 
not get soiled. 

(f) Real money was used in paying for things. 

*The children played this informal game until it 
was time to use the materials for the party. The 
storekeeper insisted on getting the right amount of 
money for each purchase. At first the children would 
buy only one thing at a time, then some one tried his 
skill at buying several things. Later some of the 
2B’s tested the storekeeper’s ability to make easy 
change by buying larger purchases. 

Penmanship Problem : 

How shall we send the invitations ? 

1. The class decided to write the following invi¬ 
tation : 

Will you come to our party on Easter Mon¬ 
day ? Please do. 

2. The class decided which pupils wrote the best 
and these were chosen to write the invitations. 

3. Answers to the invitations were much appre¬ 
ciated and furnished excellent reading ma¬ 
terial 


80 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


Constructive Problem : 

1. Baskets for candy eggs and napkin rings. The 
class and the teacher each brought different kinds of 
candy and different colored eggs to a conference 
group. The class decided which was most suitable 
for this party. 

Clay bowls were made and filled with flowers as 
special favors for the teachers. 

Social Problem : 

How shall we entertain our guests? 

1. Games. There was not enough space and 
everyone of such a large company could not 
play. 

(a) Stories. The children decided that dram¬ 
atizing a story would be more enjoyable 
to the company. 

Stories were brought from the library, 
from home and from the school library. 
A vote was taken as to which was the most 
suitable. 

(b) Poems (“I Have a Little Shadow” and 
“Good Play”) were selected from Robert 
Louis Stevenson. 

Music: 

The children decided to begin and end their pro¬ 
gram with music by the band. Two new pieces which 
they had been practicing were selected as the most 
appropriate. 


XXX 


SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT IRON 

Second Grade 

One day in January a group of second-grade chil¬ 
dren were discussing the story of “The Little Gray 
Pony. ’’ This little pony had lost a shoe and its small 
owner was obliged to find some iron for the black¬ 
smith before the shoe could be made. After much 
searching the iron was found at the mine. At this 
point a question arose in the mind of one of the 
pupils: “What did the iron look like, when the 
miner gave it to the little boy V 9 One of the children, 
who had previously been a pupil in the Rolling Mill 
School, answered: “Iron must be melted before it 
can be used.” 

Then some one said, “The blacksmith heats the 
iron, but the shoe is already made. The blacksmith 
heats the part that goes next the pony’s foot.” 

These points were cleared up in the following 
way: 

The class visited the library to find all the pictures 
they could that would tell them something about iron. 
The mounted pictures and stereoscopes gave them 
the information they wanted and were enjoyed for 
many days. 

The teacher told “The Story of Iron” in a simple 
81 


82 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


way. Several boys visited a blacksmith shop and 
found out how a horse is shod. 

The class asked if they might dramatize the story. 
In order to do this, the original story needed to be 
changed somewhat. 

The class composition was as follows: 


HOW KENNETH FOUND A NEW SHOE FOR HIS PONY 

Kenneth had a beautiful little pony. His father 
gave it to him on his birthday. Every day Ken¬ 
neth would take a long ride. One day as he was 
riding, the pony lost a shoe. Kenneth said, ‘ ‘ I must 
take you to the blacksmith. He will make a new 
shoe for you/’ But the blacksmith had no iron. 
The blacksmith said, “Perhaps the storekeeper or 
the farmer will have some iron that I can use.” 
Kenneth went to the storekeeper and the farmer, 
but neither of them had any iron to give him. 

He felt so sad he sat down and cried. An old 
lady passed by. “What are you crying about, 
little boy ? ’ ’ she asked. Kenneth answered, “lam 
trying to find some iron for the blacksmith so he 
can make my pony a new shoe. Do you know where 
I can find any?” The old lady asked, “Did you 
go to the miner? He will give you some iron.” 
“No,” said Kenneth, “I did not think of that.” 

Kenneth went to the miner. The miner gave 
him some iron ore. Kenneth said, “This does n’t 
look like iron.” “No,” said the miner. “You 
must take it to the blast furnace. The man will 
put it into the hot fire. It will boil just like water. 



The Study of Tron—2A-B Grade 













84 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


In three hours the man will open the furnace and 
the melted iron will run out just like water.” 

Kenneth took the iron ore to the-blast furnace. 

The man melted the iron ore just as the miner said 
he would. He watched it cool and get hard in the 
sand molds. “Now,” said Kenneth, “that looks 
more like iron. ’ ’ He took some of it to the black¬ 
smith. 

The blacksmith made the pony a new shoe. 

The children worked out the following play, using 
songs and rhythm to make it more interesting. 


THE PLAY 

The play started with the little song: 

The Little Gray Pony 

The little gray pony is tired of the barn, 

He wants to get out this fine day. 

So come, Master Kenneth, and harness him up 
And drive him far, far away. 

Kenneth [rides on his pony while the phonograph plays a 
piece representing a gallop. During the ride the pony 
loses his shoe ] : 

Oh, what shall I do ? 

Oh, what shall I do ? 

My little gray pony 
Has lost a shoe! 

Oh, I know what I ’ll do! I ’ll take you to the black¬ 
smith ’s, pony. The blacksmith will make you a new shoe. 


SOME FACTS ABOUT IRON 


85 


Good morning, Mr. Blacksmith. Will you please make 
my pony a new shoe ? He lost one while I was riding and 
I couldn’t find it anywhere. 

Blacksmith: I’m sorry. I have plenty of big shoes for 
horses around here, but they will not fit your little 
pony. If you will get me some iron, I’ll make your pony 
a shoe. Perhaps the storekeeper over there will give 
you some. 

Kenneth [goes to the storekeeper ] : Good morning, Mr. 
Storekeeper, could you sell me some iron? 

Storekeeper: I’m sorry, but I just sell iron stoves. May¬ 
be the farmer over there in the field will give you some. 

Kenneth: I will go and see. [He goes to the farmer ] : 
Good morning, Mr. Farmer. Could you let me have a 
little piece of iron, so that the blacksmith can make my 
pony a shoe ? 

Farmer: I’m sorry, but I used the last I had for my 
plow. 

Kenneth: Can you tell me where I can get some iron? 

Farmer: I don’t think any one around here has 
any. 

Kenneth [site down and cries ] : I hope the blacksmith 
is taking good care of my pony. 

[An old lady passes by] 

Old Lady: Why are you so sad, little boy? 

Kenneth: My little gray pony has lost a shoe and 
the blacksmith could not make me one for him because 
he has no iron. Can you tell me where I can get some 
iron? 

Old Lady: Go to the miner. He will give you some iron. 

Kenneth: Oh thank you! I did not think of that. 

[While he goes the class sings, “The Miner.”] 


86 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


The Miner 

The miner works beneath the ground, 

To get the iron out; 

A little lamp upon his head, 

To show the way about. 

Kenneth: Good morning, Mr. Miner. Will you sell me 
some iron? 

Miner: You may have all the iron ore you want for fifty 
cents, but you can’t use it this way. You must take it over 
to the blast furnace and have it melted. 

Kenneth [goes to the blast furnace ] : Good morning, Mr. 
Millard, will you melt this iron ore for me and fix a little 
pony shoe, so I can take it to the blacksmith and have him 
shoe my pony? 

Mr. Millard: Yes, but you will have to wait three hours. 
[Short pause.} Now it is cool and ready for you. 

Kenneth: I hope I can find my way back to the black¬ 
smith. Now, little pony, you shall not be lame any more. 

Class [sings the following song ] : 

Hello, Mr. Blacksmith, how do you do? 

Here is the iron for my pony’s new shoe. 

Clang goes the anvil, sparks fly around. 

Now little pony, lift your foot from the ground. 

Blacksmith, blacksmith, thanks for the shoe; 

That’s what the pony wants to say to you! 

THE STORY WORKED OUT IX THE SAND TABLE 

The children then worked out the story in the sand 
table. A blacksmith shop was constructed of card- 


SOME FACTS ABOUT IRON 


87 


board. An anvil, sledge and forge were made of clay 
and put in the shop. A cardboard doll was cut out 
and dressed like a blacksmith. A pony and a small 
boy were cut from manila cardboard and placed on 
the road leading to the blacksmith shop. An open 
mine was .constructed of clay, sand and stones. A 
steam shovel was made to show how ore is taken 
up at such times. A large mirror represented 
the lake near the mine and a boat was constructed 
showing how the iron ore is transported to the 
furnaces. 

The furnaces were made of oatmeal boxes, card¬ 
board and paper. Tin foil was used to represent 
the hot iron running into the sand molds. A small 
engine and some freight cars were constructed to 
show how pig iron is transported to various 
foundries. Cardboard dolls were cut out and dressed 
to represent people working at different indus¬ 
tries. A book of drawings was prepared, showing 
things that are made of iron and steel. Some of the 
drawings were of ships, roller skates, pumps, stoves, 
aeroplanes, slides, etc. The children printed the 
names of the articles made of iron or steel under the 
pictures. 

The children wished to have some real iron ore in 
their mine. Several tried to get it but failed. The 
teacher then asked the principal of the Rolling Mill 
School if any of the pupils there could get a small 
sample of iron ore for the class. 

A little boy sent a sample next day to the Jeffer- 


88 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


son School. The delighted children wished to thank 
him and with the teacher’s help wrote the following: 

Fort Wayne, Ind., May 24, 1923 
Dear Thomas: 

We all thank you for the iron ore which you 
sent us. We made an iron mine in our sand table, 
and we wanted some real iron ore to put in it. The 
big boys in our school tried to get us some but they 
could not. 

We made some blast furnaces to melt the iron 
ore. We made them of oatmeal boxes and paper 
rolls. We have a little lake, too, and George made 
a boat to take the iron ore to the furnaces. 

One of our furnaces shows the iron ore running 
out when it is hot into the sand beds. We use tin 
foil for the melted iron. A man is standing by the 
sand beds and is pushing the iron into the sand 
molds. 

William made an engine and two freight cars. 

He made a little track for them to run on. His 
engine has a little bell on it and a light. 

We have a blacksmith shop, too, in our sand 
table. We made a forge and a sledge and an anvil 
for it. We have a blacksmith standing by the door 
and a little boy has brought his pony to get a new 
iron shoe. 

We would like you to come and see us some time. 

We know you could tell us many things about iron 
because you visit the Rolling Mills so often. 

Yours sincerely, 

1A-2B Class, Jefferson School. 


XXXI 


A VISIT TO THE LIBRARY 

Third Grade 

Situation : 

So many children wanted library cards, that we 
decided to visit the Public Library. 

Actual Happening : 

Library cards were given in advance to the teacher 
who wrote the children’s names on them. The class 
went in sections. The librarians had quantities of 
suggestive materials arranged so as to attract atten¬ 
tion. The children looked at books, charts, a bird 
exhibit, pictures and the shelves filled with books. 
Nearly all the children drew books or pictures that 
day. 

Results : 

Class reading improved. 

Several became regular library visitors and read¬ 
ers. 

Often some one would mention something he saw 
on that trip. 


89 


•XXXII 


A TRIP TO THE MARKET AND THE COUNTRY 

Third Grade 

Situation : 

The school is near the city market where three 
times a week the country people come to sell their 
products. 

Narrative : 

We all decided to go and see how many things we 
could see in the market. Two trips were made. We 
looked at the various articles displayed and asked 
questions. Upon returning to school, we immediately 
made lists of the fruits, vegetables, flowers, meats 
and miscellaneous articles seen. The next step was 
an effort to see where these things grew and came 
from. Seven automobiles were offered for the trip. 
The children went to a nearby market garden. Here 
were apples, grapes, vegetables and even a wheat 
field. The fields along the way furnished numerous 
objects of interest. 

A general discussion and summing up followed 
when we reached the room. 

Results : 

The results were varied and far-reaching. 

1. Some of the children lived in a congested part 

90 


A TRIP TO THE MARKET 91 

of the city, so a trip to the country was a wonderful 
event. 

2. A seed box was planned and started. 

3. The story of a head of lettuce was written and 
told at an entertainment. 

4. Many new words were learned. 

We used a familiar place as a door to an enlarged 
vision of human experiences. 

This is an excellent example of a worth-while proj¬ 
ect growing out of a life-situation, carried over into 
the schoolroom. 

A city market was located within two blocks of the 
school in which this project was originated. 



Housekeeping Activity—Wash Day—Washing for Our Doll—3A-B Grade 






XXXIII 


A COMMUNITY WORKROOM 

Third Grade 

Situation : 

(a) A sunny room in the basement. 

(b) Sand table filled with moist sand. 

(c) Work-bench and tools. 

(d) Accumulating materials, supplied by the chil¬ 

dren. 

Uses of Koom : 

Trying out of first-hand experiences. 

(a) Washing for our dolls. (Illustration.) 

(b) Laying out a map like adjoining park. 

(c) Illustrating early history of Fort Wayne in 
sand table. 

(d) Making of bird houses for the park. (This 
activity grew into the bird project given later.) 

To work in this room was allowed at free occupa¬ 
tion time, also when a child felt his formal school- 
work prepared. This judging of necessary prepara¬ 
tion often needed checking by the teacher before it 
worked out with satisfaction to all concerned. 

The social cooperation with the teacher not only 
made discipline by the teacher almost negative, but 

93 


M 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


put the responsibility of right conduct on the little 
citizens of the schoolroom democracy. 

Results : 

(a) Power to judge and act either independently 
or in cooperation with the group. 

(b) Thought for the rights of others. 

(c) Control of conduct by the opinion of the group. 

Everything to help and 
nothing to hinder. 

— Col. Francis W. Parker 

(d) Rapid advancement by children of unusual 
ability due to opportunity for special privileges. 


XXXIV 


A SILENT READING PROJECT 

Third Grade 

Situation : 

During the silent reading period, several children 
found stories or poems about flowers. They became 
very much interested and continued to hunt for 
material. 

Narrative : 

The language and reading periods were combined 
and all enjoyed listening to related stories and poems. 

Results: 

The ability to hunt for something definite was de¬ 
veloped. 

The desire to read well to others was encouraged. 
Literary appreciation was started. 

The Program : 

Frequently in Language the children have a pro¬ 
gram. One member of the class is manager and an¬ 
nounces the numbers that have been written on the 
board. One from each row is chosen; one tells a 
story, another a riddle, a third recites a poem. The 
teacher or an appointed critic makes helpful sugges¬ 
tions as to better choice of words. 


95 


96 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


In the Reading Project the following stories or 
poems were used: 

‘ ‘ Daffodils, ’’ Wordsworth 

“Song to the Daisy,” Margaret Johnson— Harper’s Sec¬ 
ond Reader 

“The Flower,” Alfred Tennyson— Studies in Reading, 
Third Grade 

“Daisies,” Christina G. Rossetti— Free and Treadwell > 
Second Reader 

‘■'Suppose Studies in Reading,” Martin— Elson Primary 
School Reader, Book II 

“The Story of Clytie,” Flora J. Cooke— Studies in Read¬ 
ing, Third Grade 

“The Little Plant,” Kate Louise Brown— Wheeler’s Sec¬ 
ond Reader 

“The Flowers’ Thanks,” Lyman Abbott— The Outlook 

“A Forest Flower,” Goethe— Young & Field Literary 
Readers, Book III 

“Baby Seed Song,” E. Nesbit— Young & Field Literary 
Readers, Book 111 


XXXV 


A THANKSGIVING PARTY 

Third Grade 

During the Language period, one day, the chil¬ 
dren discussed Hallowe’en parties they had attended. 
A desire was expressed to have a Thanksgiving party. 
The following is an outline of the procedure: 

Of what do our mothers think when they are pre¬ 
paring for a party? 

1. Guests—3B children invited. 

2. Invitations—Each child tried to write an 
invitation but none could formulate state¬ 
ments or questions. The children had to 
learn: 

(a) To formulate statements. 

(b) To ask questions. 

(c) To spell words. 

(d) To spell names of months, days, also 
to form abbreviations of months. 

(e) To begin and end a letter. 

3. Refreshments—committee named to find 
out: 

(a) Amount of popcorn needed. 

(b) Number of popcorn crisps needed. 

97 


98 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


(c) Number of popcorn crisps in a package. 

(d) Cost of popcorn crisps per package. 

Writing —Invitations, programs, place cards. 
Reading —Plays and stories. 

Art —Decorating programs, place cards, making bas¬ 
kets. 

Music—Learning Thanksgiving songs. 

Constructive Work —Guns, cannon, Pilgrim cos¬ 
tumes, baskets. 

The school should be a model 
home, a complete community, an 
embryonic democracy. 

— Col. Francis W. Parker 


XXXVI 


A HUMANE SOCIETY PROJECT 

Third Grade 

How the Project Started : 

Last spring the Humane Society made a drive for 
funds with which to build temporary shelter for 
friendless animals. The teacher thought the objects 
and aims of the society worthy of bringing before 
the children. 

Situation : 

One day, during the story-telling period, the field 
was limited to tales of pets. Many of the children 
had cats, dogs or rabbits, and great delight and 
interest were taken in the stories. From this there 
arose an interest in animal stories and animals. The 
habits of animals were discussed and much interest 
was taken in the right care and treatment of dumb 
animals. Finally the Humane Society was men¬ 
tioned. Its purposes and the necessity for such a 
society were discussed and a realization of the great 
good such an organization accomplishes was firmly 
fixed in the minds of the children. From this there 
developed a discussion of the drive the society was 
making; its purpose, and the need of such a home 
99 


100 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


as the society intended building. The children ex¬ 
pressed a desire to help in this drive, and finally 
asked that members of the class might go into other 
rooms and explain the aims of the drive to the chil¬ 
dren, and have boxes that each child might be given 
an opportunity to aid the dumb animals. 

Activities : 

In order that the children of the other rooms 
should understand the motives of the drive, it was 
necessary for 4 ‘speakers” to go to these rooms and 
explain the drive; therefore the 3A children, during 
the oral language period, gave short talks in their 
own room and to the members of their own class con¬ 
cerning the society and its purposes. Those who de¬ 
livered the best talks were chosen to go to other 
rooms and to speak to the children there. 

A box for contributions was left in each room and 
when these boxes were collected, the children found 
it was necessary to have a knowledge of dollars and 
cents. From this there arose a study of money, and 
the counting of the contributions. 

Letters were written to the Humane Society, and 
the best was selected for sending. While this project 
was being carried out, unlimited reading material 
was brought into the schoolroom. Library books 
were searched for animal stories and these were read 
by the children. 

Many pictures of animals were collected and great 
delight was taken in story-telling. 


A HUMANE SOCIETY PROJECT 


101 


The results of this project were: 

Social and Civic : 

1. The children learned mercy and kindness to ani¬ 
mals. 

2. The children learned of the Humane Society, its 
organization, purpose, accomplishments and place in 
the community. 

3. Knowledge of dollars and cents. 

English : 

4. Telling animal stories. 

5. Telling of experiences with animals. 

6. Telling stories about animal pictures. 

7. Writing of letters. 

8. Public Speaking—addressing classes and ex¬ 
plaining the aims of the society. 

9. Reading—extensive reading of animal stories. 

10. Strengthening of child’s ability to find mate¬ 
rial desired—use of books. 

11. Habits of both domestic and wild animals. 


XXXVII 


A CHRISTMAS TREE PARTY 

Third Grade 

Children brought the money to buy a Christmas 
Tree. They discussed the subject with parents be¬ 
fore a definite decision was made. 

English 

Discussion: Kind and size of tree. Plans and ar¬ 
rangements for party. 

Decoration of Tree: Kind and size of ornaments. 
Christmas Experiences: 

(a) This year. 

(b) Previous year. 

Stories 

Speaking pieces learned at home or Sunday School. 
Art 

Making Christmas Tree trimmings. 

Arranging trimming on tree. 

Making of baskets for party, also doilies, napkins, 
etc. 

Arrangement of tables. 

Making toys and gifts. 

Illustrating Christmas Book. 

102 


A CHRISTMAS TREE PARTY 


103 


Numbers 

Counting money. 

Counting ornaments. 

Measuring chains. 

Counting number of children. 

Providing enough chairs, baskets, napkins, etc., 
for party. 

Music 

Songs: (a) Learned at school. 

(b) Learned at home. 

(c) Learned at Sunday School. 

Games. 

Rhythms. 

Reading 

Making Christmas book containing record of 
project. 

Reading Christmas stories. 

Ethics 

Making others happy. 

Making books for sick children in hospital. 


XXXVIII 


A GEOGRAPHY PROJECT 

Third Grade 

In our study of wool and the woolen industry, one 
of the children said, “I don’t see how wool from a 
sheep’s back could be made into clothes. ’ ’ 

We decided to find out. The class was divided into 
groups. 

1st group—Find how sheep were sheared in olden 
times. 

How it is done today. 

2nd group—How wool was washed, carded and 
spun in olden days. 

How it is done today. 

3rd group—How wool was dyed and woven in 
olden times. 

How it is done today. 

This furnished material for reading for several 
weeks and the project ended by the children demon¬ 
strating old methods of manufacture, using carders, 
spinning wheels, etc., and showing pictures of a mod¬ 
ern woolen factory in operation. 

Note: This project led on to a similar project on 
silk. 


104 


XXXIX 


A PARTY 

Third Grade 

Preparations : 

What to serve: Head lettuce sandwiches, radishes. 
Question: To raise or to buy these vegetables. 

Decision: It will depend upon the cost of them in 
the market. 

Committees were appointed to investigate prices. 
The first committee investigated the cost of grow¬ 
ing the vegetables. 

The second committee investigated prices in the 
market. 

The whole class visited the market to price articles; 
also they took a trip through the business section to 
see what foodstuffs were made in the city. 

Result : 

Three projects grew out of growing and buying 
the vegetables and the related investigations. 

1. The garden was made. 

2. Radishes did not grow well, hut lettuce sand¬ 
wiches were served as planned. 

3. A market place was constructed in the sand 
table. This involved much conversation on ways and 

105 


106 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


means of construction, also much experimentation 
before the city market was completed. Tables and 
autos were made of wood; vegetables of clay; people 
of clothespins; building of lath, corrugated paper, 
heavy cardboard and handles of flags too faded to 
inspire patriotism. 

Information Gained: 

1. The farmer must charge for food for city 
people. 

2. Interesting things city people make as a return 
for the farmer’s work. 

Cooperation between the farmer and the city pro¬ 
ducer was suggested by a class member. Large post¬ 
ers showing autos carrying store articles to the 
farmers were made. 


XL 


A LANGUAGE PROJECT 

The Fairy Play 

Third Grade 

The first thing was that Mrs. Jopp, the teacher, 
read us the book, “Peter Pan,” and we got the idea 
of fairies. Then she taught us “ A Fairy’s Song, ’ ’ by 
William Shakespeare. Several of the girls did 
rhythm work while the class recited the poem. 

Three of the girls thought of a plan. We thought 
it would be nice if we could have a surprise party for 
Mrs. Jopp and make her happy.. 

We met at one of our homes and wrote our play. 
We had a queen and two fairies and we chose two 
boys for pages. The queen had a blue crepe-paper 
train and a blue wand. One fairy had a pink crepe 
sash, her hair was worn low, and she carried a wand, 
while the other was dressed in yellow. We used the 
Victrola and had fairy dances. 

The fairy queen gave Mrs. Jopp a big basket of 
fruit that the children had brought. The fairies gave 
the school a surprise when we served peanuts and 
cookies. We had white paper napkins and tied the 
four corners together with ribbon. 

The basket was so heavy the pages had to take it 


107 


108 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


home for Mrs. Jopp. She had some of the fruit the 
next day and was very happy. 

—Written by Wealtha Carrel 

A language exercise descriptive of The Fairy Play 
was prepared by each member of the class, and the 
best chosen. 

In writing statements of the activity the children 
found it necessary to know the following: 

How to write a title. 

How to begin and end sentences. 

How to write proper names. 

How to punctuate. 

However, by far the greatest improvement was 
found, not in the skill acquired in subject matter, but 
in the growth in good conduct of members of the 
social group. The unselfish cooperation shown in 
working out The Fairy Play had a permanent lead- 
ing-on effect. 

Dr. John Dewey says: 4 ‘When a study is taught 
as a mode of understanding social life, it has positive 
ethical import /’ 


XLI 


A HISTORY PROJECT 
From a Unit of History Study 

Third Grade 

Situations : 

Ten weeks ago the teacher introduced the subject 
of Fort Wayne History. 

Introductory Lesson. Free discussion of Indiana 
as the early pioneers found it. The teacher planned 
to devote several class periods to the study of pioneer 
life as an introduction to the history of Fort Wayne. 
To aid in the study she obtained a set of 4 ‘ Polly the 
Pioneer’’ books, which the children read in the after¬ 
noon reading period. 

After a few days the interest in pioneer life began 
to be carried over into other school subjects. The 
subject matter of our language lessons became 
pioneer life and, after several group compositions 
had been written, a child suggested that they make 
books in which to keep their stories. 

Materials Needed : 

1. Paper for hooks. 

2. Indian heads suitable for covers. 

These were used to make “Pioneer Life” books in 
which they have kept their stories, poems and pic- 
109 


110 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


tures. In writing stories in their books they learned 
some new words which they wrote afterward in their 
4 ‘ dictionaries. ’’ 

By this time the children were so deeply interested 
in pioneer life that the teacher gave up her original 
plan of history study of the grade for the present, 
and decided to postpone it until after the children 
had exhausted the subject of pioneer life. 

Time required: about 30 minutes per week. 

Activities Involved : 

1. Spelling. 

2. Composition. 

3. Reading. 

4. Information lessons. 

5. Dramatization. 

6. Free discussions. 

7. Drawing. 

8. Construction. 

9. Picture study. 

10. A number of gymnasium periods were spent in 
learning some play games of the pioneers. 

In addition to these activities three group projects 
were being carried on. 

1. House group. 

2. Sand-pan group. 

3. Prairie schooner group. 

These were pupil-projects, suggested, planned and 
executed by the children. Numerous projects were 


A HISTORY PROJECT 


111 


suggested by the pupils, but the teacher limited the 
construction projects to three because of time limit. 

After a few days the teacher asked the children 
what they would do to entertain'a class which knew 
nothing of pioneer life. The following suggestions 
were offered: 

1. Read a story from our history books. 

2. Read a story from ‘ ‘ Polly the Pioneer. ’’ 

3. Play some pioneer play-games. 

4. Tell about our dictionaries. 

5. Show our house and tell about it. 

6. Show our sand-pan and tell about it. 

7. Show our prairie schooners and tell about them. 

8. Write and give a play. 

9. Have an exhibit of relics of pioneer days. 

10. Write some poems to read. 

The children were divided into six groups with a 
changing personnel. Each group chose a topic. One 
week the groups were given a 30-minute period to 
organize and plan for the presenting of their topics. 
Next week they had two such periods. Each group 
had a leader and the teacher assisted in the organi¬ 
zation when it was necessary, but in no case did she 
substitute her ideas for those presented by the chil¬ 
dren. 

High Lights : 

1. Children’s original work, therefore simple. 

2. All children take part. 


112 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


3. Lesson shows necessary knowledge in the his¬ 
tory unit. It is, however, not an accumulation of sub¬ 
ject matter showing results, but the topics are given 
by the children for the first time and if regrouped, 
each group would respond in a different manner. 

4. Group activity at times became class activity. 

5. The leading on into Fort Wayne History was 
guided by the teacher. 

Teachers' Bibliography: 

Historic Indiana —Levering 

Indiana as Seen by Early Travelers —Lindley 

Pioneer History of Indiana —Cockrum 

A Narrative of Life on the Old Frontier —Henry Hays 

The Play-Party in Indiana —Wolfold 

Indiana Magazine of History 

History of Fort Wayne —Griswold 

Fort Wayne History —Brice 

A History of Indiana —Esarey 


Pupils' Bibliography: 

Letters of Polly, the Pioneer —Nida 
Pioneer Life for Little Children —Adams 
Philip of Texas —Kaler 
Pioneer Days —Carmichael 


A HISTORY PROJECT 


113 


THE PLAY 

Scenes from Pioneer Life 
Written by a Group of Children 
Characters: Mother, Father, Andrew, Ruth and Mary. 

Act I 

Scene: A pioneer home. Mother and the girls seated 
near the fireplace. 

Mother: Girls, you must help mother sew. Father and 
Andrew need new hunting suits. You know that fine suit 
I made for Andrew last fall was torn into shreds by a 
mother bear, when Andrew tried to steal one of her baby 
cubs. 

Ruth: But we haven’t any deerskin, have we, mother? 

[Enter Father and Andrew.] 

Andrew: As I was digging the honey out of a hollow 
tree, father spied this beautiful deer in some distant shrub¬ 
bery. He aimed at him and you know father never misses 
a shot. So now we shall have a feast. 

Father: Yes, and I shall tan the hide and mother can 
make new hunting suits for Andrew and for me. Come, 
Andrew, we have much work to do in our cornfield. 

[Exit Father and Andrew.] 

Mother: I shall spin some of our flax now. When warm 
weather comes, we shall want some dresses of tow linen. 
While I am spinning you may sew on your new dresses. 

Mary: New dresses! Are we to have new dresses? Really, 
mother ? 


114 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


Mother: Yes, dear, your old dresses are too ragged to 
wear to the play-party next week. 

Ruth: What kind of goods shall we use, mother? 

Mary: Oh, I hope we may have them made of red calico, 
like Lucy Green’s new dress! 

Mother: No, dear, calico is too expensive for us. It 
costs three dollars a yard, so I have woven some linsey-wool¬ 
sey for you. It isn’t as pretty as calico, but it will wear 
very much longer. 

Ruth: I think that is pretty. How did you make it that 
pretty brown color, mother? 

Mother: I dyed it with walnut hulls. 

Mary: How did you make this linsey-woolsey, mother? 

Mother: I spun some flax and wool and then wove it, 
using the flax for the chain and the wool for the filling. 
The next time I weave, you may help me. Now we must 
stop talking and go to work. 

[Mother goes to the spinning wheel and the girls begin to 
sew.] 

Ruth: Over at the Forks, the schoolmaster teaches the 
children to sing their ABC’s. -Let’s see if we can. 

[The girls sing ABC’s to the tune of Yankee Doodle.] 

CURTAIN. 

Act II 

Scene: Same as before. Time, a day later. 

Father: I have invited all the settlement to our log-roll¬ 
ing tomorrow. Mother, you and the girls will have to work 
all day cooking good things to eat. Andrew, come with me 
and we will make some hickory handspikes for rolling the 


A HISTORY PROJECT 


115 


Mary: Oh, mother, will you really let us help you cook? 

Mother: Yes, dear, for we must prepare for many guests. 

Ruth: Mother, shall we cook that deer that father killed 
yesterday ? 

Mother: Yes, run to that clay bowl outside the door and 
bring some bear’s oil from it. You know venison is not good 
unless it is cooked in bear’s oil. 

Mary: Let us put it into our Dutch oven and pile coals 
over it. 

Ruth: I heard Lucy Green talking about johnny-cake. 
How is it made? Could n’t we make some johnny-cake ? 

Mary: Oh, I know how Mrs. Green makes johnny-cake. 
She makes it like our corn bread, except that she bakes it 
on a board. She sets the board before the fire until one 
side is baked, and then the other side is turned toward the 
fire. 

Mother: Girls, what shall we have besides venison and 
johnny-cake ? 

Ruth: We must have some “hog-and-hominy.” Every¬ 
one will like that. 

Mary: Yes, and wild honey and roast turkey and—oh, 
I can think of so many good things! 

Ruth: Won’t we have a good time tomorrow ! After the 
work is finished, I know we ’ll have a play-party. I hope 
they play, “Jolly is the Miller.” 


CURTAIN 


116 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


ORIGINAL VERSES 
To the Pioneers 

The good pioneers gave us this state, 
As a home in which to dwell. 

Let us thank them for this home, 

For we love it very well. 

Oh, how we love the pioneers! 

Their work indeed was great. 

We rejoice that they lived here 
For they began our state. 


Pioneer Fun 

They made fun out of their hardest work, 
They made fun out of their play. 
They made fun out of everything, 
Through all the busy day. 


Our House 

We have built a pioneer house, 
Where brave pioneers do live; 

Its walls are made of logs and clay, 
Its floors are slabs of wood. 

The blazing fire lights up the room, 
Where the mother spins and weaves; 
By its light the father cleans his gun, 
To prepare for the morning hunt. 


A HISTORY PROJECT 


117 


Song of a Prairie Ship 

(Group Composition.) 

I have traveled piany weary miles, 

In my search for a home in the west. 

I have forded streams and followed trails, 
With seldom a chance to rest. 

Two faithful ox-teams drew me on, 

In my search for a home in the west, 
Through wilderness and open plains 
To home at the end of my quest. 

A Wish 

I would like to be a pioneer 
And to be as brave as they. 

And to be as happy as they were, 
Through all the busy day. 

The pioneers came years ago 
And settled in this state. 

They cleared the timber from the land, 
They worked both early and late. 


XLII 


A BIRD PROJECT 

Third Grade 

Situation : 

During Christmas vacation several children of a 
Third Grade class converted their Christmas trees 
into birds’ Christmas trees. They tied suet and seed 
bags to the branches and placed the trees out of doors. 
Upon returning to school, eagerness to tell about 
the birds that came to their trees resulted in many 
discussions of the habits and activities of birds. 

To meet the growing enthusiasm for bird study, 
the teacher suggested the formation of a Junior 
Audubon Society. The children welcomed this sug¬ 
gestion with such enthusiasm that a bird club was 
organized immediately. 

It was from this nucleus of interest that the bird 
project grew, and it increased in enthusiasm and 
scope until it involved practically all the school ac¬ 
tivities of the Third Grade. The project lasted from 
Christmas until school closed in June, and the out¬ 
growth of it still longer. 

Activities : 

I. The Aims of the Audubon Club: To awaken 
interest and sentiment in favor of birds by means of 
society meetings, bird literature, bird charts and pic- 
118 


A BIRD PROJECT 


119 


tnres, bird calendars, field trips for bird study, bird 
protection and winter feeding of birds. 

II. Meetings: Every Friday afternoon, arranged 
for and conducted by the officers of the club. 

1. Every meeting included some definite study of 
our local birds, their habits, haunts and food. 

2. Personal experiences with birds told by chil¬ 
dren. 

3. Poems and prose selections about birds related 
by children. 

4. The secretary kept a record of each child’s activ¬ 
ities in the club. When a child fed or watered the 
birds at home, supplied nest-building material, 
erected bird houses, baths or feeding shelves, it was 
recorded and reported upon by the secretary. With 
this incentive the children found many opportunities 
for helping to protect and care for the birds. 

III. Field trips to a nearby park were taken. This 
aroused enthusiasm to such a pitch that the teacher 
found herself almost overwhelmed with descriptions 
of birds and questions about birds. 

During the nesting season each child watched the 
building of a nest near his home, and reported upon 
the activities of the birds during the process of home- 
building and rearing of the young. 

The field trips developed powers of observation 
and appreciation of nature. 

IV. The Public Library supplied bird plates and 
bird books for the library table. These books, in 


120 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


addition to government bird bulletins and Audubon 
leaflets, furnished abundant reference material. 
Each child made a bird book which included bird 
reading lessons, pictures, drawings of birds and 
nests, poems, group compositions and stories of per¬ 
sonal experiences with birds. This book served as a 
record of the child’s definite knowledge. 

School skills growing out of the bird book involved 
oral and written composition, reading, spelling and 
art. 

V. Civics: Civic activities included participation 
in the club meetings, which gave the children experi¬ 
ence in club organization and management, as well 
as experience in public speaking. 

The home phases of the project, the feeding and 
watering of birds, assistance in the nest building, the 
making of bird houses, baths and feeding shelves 
developed not only a spirit of gentleness and mercy 
for small wild creatures, but also gave training in 
manual arts and number. 

VI. Literary Appreciation: In addition to all these 
activities, an experiment in original verse writing 
grew out of the bird project. An interest in poetry 
was aroused through the use of poems in the club . 
meetings. This resulted in an expressed wish to write 
a poem for the bird books. 

As original verse work must be preceded by care¬ 
ful study of the style and structure of poetry, a 
month was spent in preparing the children for verse 



Preparing for Bird Day—3A-B Grade 















122 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


writing. At the end of that time the children wrote 
some spontaneous verses which were delightful not 
only because they showed a keen appreciation of the 
beauty of poetry, but also an intimate knowledge of 
bird life. 

Preparatory Study for Our Verse Writing 
Teachers’ Aim: 

To give some idea of the devices used in style and 
finish to make the words of the poem show a beautiful 
picture. 

Whereas our interest in prose is chiefly in the sub¬ 
ject matter, a poem must have beauty of form as well 
as beauty of thought. 

How Acquired: 

Listening to poems. 

Discussion of different pattern poems, as to plan 
and structure. 

Illustrations of verses written by child-poet. 

Points considered, quality of cadence and other 
elements besides rhyme. 

Listening to good free verse. 

Decision came to write on birds for the bird 
books. 

List of words grown to be familiar in the study of 
birds was written on the board for use in poems if 
needed. 


A BIRD PROJECT 


123 


Writing of poems by pupils individually, with class 
suggestions later to help the slower pupils. 

The following verses were collected. They are 
given as first written, after the preparatory talks. 

The Robin 

Robin, Robin Redbreast, 

Sitting in a tree, 

Pretty little Robin, 

Come and sing for me. 

Anna Marie Kestner, 3B. 

Robin Redbreast 

Robin in the tree-top, 

Sing to me your song, 

Fill the air with joy and gladness 
All the glad day long. 

Jack Christie, 3B. 

Jennie Wren 

Pretty little Jenny Wren, you are so very sweet, 
Come build your nest where 1 can peep 
And see your babies sleep. 

Ednell Miller, 3A. 


The Blue Jay 

Pretty little Blue Jay, 

Sweet as sweet can be, 

Come and build a dainty nest 
In my cherry tree. 


Iola Kickley, 3A. 



Printing of Names in the Picture Book 
3A-B Grade 







A BIRD PROJECT 


125 


The Blue Bird 
He has the sky on his back. 

And the ground on his breast. 

He makes the world happy. 

He is the Blue Bird. 

Dorothy Tonkle, 3A. 

The Red-Headed Woodpecker 
0 Woodpecker ! Dear flag bird, 

Who painted you red, white and blue ? 

’Twas God! ’Twas God! 

He did it. 

The Blue Bird 
0 pretty Blue Bird! 

Come and sing a song to me, 

Come and build a cozy nest 
In my apple tree. 

I will not hurt you, I love you, 

You dear bird. 

Mary Hammond, 3A. 

The Robin 

My little one, my pretty one, 

Oh come unto me! 

My little one, my pretty one, 

It was God who made thee. 

My little one, my pretty one, 

Singing in the spring, 

My little one, my pretty one, 

’T was God taught thee to sing. 

Vera Greed 


126 


PRACTICAL PROJECTS 


The Flicker 
Pretty colored flicker, 

Come and sing for me. 

I love to hear yonr little tune. 

Tap, tap, tee! 

Bessie Horstmeyer 

The Flicker 

Flicker, oh flicker, 

How sweetly you sing! 

When I hear your song 
I know it is spring. 

Jean 

The Robin 

The robin here 

With very good cheer 
Sits in a tree; 

With breast of red 

And coat of brown, 

Singing merrily. 

Jerry Rerber 

Comment : 

This project unified all third-grade activities and 
developed a sustained interest in birds. It also 
taught the children to recognize the value of birds 
from an economic standpoint. The project was 
worth while from a moral and from an esthetic 
standpoint, as the beauty of form and color and songs 
of birds touched the finest chords of child nature. 


FOUR AND FORTY PLAYS 
AND GAMES 


THE RELATION OF PLAYS AND GAMES TO THE 
TECHNIQUE OF DRILL 

It is in the play or game requiring speed and accuracy 
that repetition is essential. In order that the technique of 
the game shall not detract from pleasure in playing it, the 
repetition must be sufficient to make the responses to funda¬ 
mental facts automatic. 

The tools of learning—as abstract numbers, phonics, 
spelling, recognition of words at sight, and use of correct 
language, have each a definite place in education, hut their 
place is subordinate to the purposeful activity the child 
starts when feeling a need for the acquired skill. 

Through playing games in the schoolroom, the atmosphere 
necessarily becomes informal, for an interested child loses 
his self-consciousness and acts naturally. He has a motive : 
to play the game well, and his desire makes the necessary 
repetition not work but play. 

“Repetition is effective in proportion to interest and at¬ 
tention. ” 



Kindergarten Free Flay 
























I 


KINDERGARTEN FREE PLAY 

Situation : 

Interesting play-materials accessible to the chil ¬ 
dren during free-play periods. 

Procedure : 

Thoughtful guidance by the teacher when neces¬ 
sary to help the child to obtain a more satisfying 
self-expression. 

The opportunity is first given the child to use what 
he has on hand; the teacher then may help him to 
acquire skill in what he already has, or she may sug¬ 
gest other possibilities or surround the little worker 
with stimulating material favorable to a leading-on 
to further action. The visible results accomplished, 
while of value to the child, are unimportant as com¬ 
pared to the habits and attitudes he has acquired in 
group activity. 

The teacher is indeed necessary, as she quietly 
passes from group to group, ready at any time to 
suggest a leading-on thought, yet not dictating prob¬ 
lems ; for the problem comes to the little pupil’s mind 
because of an occasion which arises in the progress 
of the work. 


129 



Kindergarten Basket Ball 


































II 


KINDERGARTEN BASKET BALL 

Materials : 

The school wastebasket hung on the wall; a large 
rubber ball. 

Object of Game : 

To see how many can throw the ball into the basket. 
The younger the children the more simple must be 
the game. 

Mere ability to roll a ball is of sufficient interest to 
a baby, but such play may eventually lead through 
the stages of aimlessly tossing a ball, throwing a ball 
with a goal in view, high school basket-ball play, to 
a championship in a city or nation. 

Play is the work of a child. 


131 



Number Game with Cards—1A-B Grade 





























Ill 


MATCHING NUMBERS 

First Grade 

Materials : 

Manila cards 3x6 inches, on which are printed num¬ 
bers 0 to 10. Several sets of cards are required, ac¬ 
cording to the number playing. 

Process : 

Shuffle and deal cards, 6 or 8 to each player and 
to the floor. 

The first child matches a card with one on the floor, 
placing the “book” before him, and naming the card 
matched. If he cannot match a card he says, “I 
pass.” 

Play in turn until all cards are used or until ‘ ‘ time* ’ 
is called. 

The child making the most books wins the game. 


133 


IV 


TEN PINS 

First Grade 

The class stands in two equal rows facing each 
other. The game can best be played when not more 
than seven or eight pins are used. These pins are 
placed upright at one end of the space between the 
lines and the tw T o leaders at the other end, each 
having a ball, see which can strike down the greater 
number. They do not take turns but throw as quickly 
as the balls are sent back to them by two children 
who have been appointed to return the balls. When 
all the pins are down, the children in the rows tell how 
many have been struck down for their side. These 
numbers are placed on board and, after all have had 
a turn, are added to find which side has won. 

In simple games for little children the activity is in 
itself the end. It is play and not work because of the 
child’s interest. 


134 


V 


MARBLES 

First Grade 

[Game for free occupation time] 

Five or more marbles are placed in a circle at the 
center of a long table. The children are divided 
into two teams, one on each side of the table. When 
the game starts, two children, each with a “shooter,” 
take their places at opposite ends of the table to see 
which can strike out the greater number of marbles 
for his team. When all marbles are knocked out and 
the score marked, the marbles are replaced, the chil¬ 
dren move to the right and the game continues. 

—Original 


135 


VI 


SILENT READING WITH TOYS 

First Grade 

There is a distinction between a play activity and 
a so-called study-period with the teacher. 

After the children have made and played with toys, 
reading-games may be based on this play. These 
were found effective in beginning reading. 

Materials Used : 

1. Common toys, made by the children or brought 
into the classroom. 

2. Large manila cards, on which are printed action 
sentences, phrases or words. 

In the following picture these sentences are seen in 
the rack: 

(a) Put the doll in the swing. 

(b) Find the Father Bear. 

(c) Find the big chair. 

(d) Fasten the car to the engine. 

(e) Put the doll to bed. 

(f) Put the Baby Bear in his chair. 

On the table or floor nearby are placed duplicate 
sentences, phrases or words. 

136 





TOR;®.;.'?: 




\ ftlll 



Silent Reading with Toys—1A-B Reading 




























138 


PLAYS AND GAMES 


Procedure: 

As the pointer designates something to do, the 
children, as chosen, perform the actions, or match 
the duplicate cards from the table with those on the 
rack. 


VII 


BEAN-BAG GAME 


Second Grade 



This game-board may be made of heavy pasteboard 
or wood. It should stand on the floor at an angle of 
forty-five degrees. 

If the class is learning to count by 2*s, each hole 
counts two. Each pupil gets two turns. The score- 
keeper keeps tally on the blackboard and adds as in 
Ring Toss. (See Game XXIII.) 

This game may he played by drawing rectangles on 
the blackboard, using a damp sponge as a ball. 

—Original 


139 



VIII 


WORD-BOX UPSET 

Second Grade 

All but one of the children are seated on chairs 
in a circle. The extra child takes the lead or is ‘ ‘ It. ’’ 
All the children are given word-cards. 

The child who is “It” calls the words (but not in 
rotation) and as each one’s word is called the child 
holding the card stands and turns around. After all 
the words have been called, the leader says, “Word- 
box upset ’ ’ and the children change chairs. The child 
who does not get a chair becomes “It.” —Original 

“A child often develops more in a moment 
of joyous, personal contact than in hours un¬ 
der conscious teaching. ’ ’—Arnold GeseU 


140 


IX 


A COUNTING GAME 


Second Grade 


Mark with chalk two concentric circles on the floor. 
The inner circle counts “two threes.’’ The outer 
circle counts “ one three . 9 ’ Outside the circle counts 
naught. 



0 


Have score board like this: 


GIRLS 















BOYS 
















The children form in two lines, boys on one side 
and girls on the other. A boy and a girl are chosen 
to keep score. A boy and a girl stand on a line and 
throw the bean bags. If the girl throws the bag in 
the center the score-keeper puts down two threes; if 


141 


















142 


PLAYS AND GAMES 


it falls on the outer circle one three, and if it falls 
outside the circles, she puts down naught. The boys 7 
score is kept the same way. When all have played 
they count the scores. The children find the differ¬ 
ence between their scores to see which side wins. 

Games lead to projects: hence we may say that 
activity is the first note in a project, and the result is 
obtained later through the leading-on response. 

This game may be a drill process leading up to a 
store-game in which the table of 3’s or 4’s must be 
used. 


—Adapted 


X 


PUSSY WANTS A CORNER 

Second Grade 

All of the children but one stand at corners of 
their desks. The one who has no corner faces one 
who has and pronounces a phonogram, as ing, to that 
child. If this child can spell and pronounce a word 
containing this sound, he keeps his corner; if not, he 
changes places with the questioner. 

Several children at the board write a list of the 
words as they are spelled. This list furnishes mate¬ 
rial for seat work in spelling or phonics. 

—Original 


143 


XI 


A NUMBER CONTEST 

Second Grade 

Divide the class into two or three groups and give 
each group a banner on which the words ‘‘Watch 
Our Group Grow” are printed. Send to the board 
a representative from each group to write combina¬ 
tions as they are dictated by the teacher. At a sig¬ 
nal, the race begins, to see who can get the correct 
answers down first. The one who wins takes the 
losers to his group. Others are chosen to take their 
places at the board and the game continues until 
‘ ‘ time ’ ’ is called. The larger group wins. 

Vary this game as follows: If the table of 2’s in 
addition is the skill to be mastered, the children at 
the board add 2 to each number dictated by the 
teacher. 

Example: The teacher dictates 3, 7, 9; the children 
write 5, 9,11. 

—Original 


144 


XII 


QUICK AS A WINK 

Second Grade 

Children sit in little chairs in a circle. One child 
stands behind a vacant chair and is ‘ ‘ It. ’’ 

Each seated child holds a card with some combi¬ 
nation ; as for example: 


The child behind the vacant chair calls a number, 
as 10. 

Anyone holding a combination making 10, runs to 
the vacant chair. The first to reach the chair wins, 
and is “It,” giving his seat to the former It. 

—Suggested and worked out by second-grade children 


145 


XIII 


DISCARD 
Adding Game 

Second Grade 

Material : 

Many sets of manila cards, size 3x6 inches, num¬ 
bered from 0 to 10. 

The children sit in a circle on the floor. Deal six 
or eight cards to each in the circle and a like number 
to the floor. If the addition by 3’s is the game, the 
leader seeks to find in his hand a number which equals 
the sum of 3 and any number on the floor, these two 
cards forming a “book,” which the child places 
behind him. 

Illustration : 

The child holds card number 9; card number 6 is 
on the floor; (6+3=9) so the cards 9 and 6 form the 
book. 

The child then discards any card in his hand and 
places it with the floor cards. 

If unable to form a book he says, “I pass.” 

The next player continues the game. 

The child who is first to discard his last card says, 
“Discard,” and wins the game. He also, of course, 
has the most “books.” 


146 


DISCARD 


147 



Discard : Adding Game—2A-B Grade 

This game may be used, as well, in subtraction or 
multiplication combinations. 











XIV 


SUMS 

Adding Game 

Second Grade 

Every child but one is given a card with a number 
on it. 

The child without a card comes to the front of the 
room and says to any child, as Mabel: 4 ‘ If you add 
two to your number, Mabel, what will you have f’ 9 

“I will have eight,’’ says Mabel (supposing her 
number is six). 

“ Your number is six,” says the questioner. 

Six is correct, so the game proceeds as before until 
the questioner “misses,” when his place is taken by 
the last one called upon. 

This preparation leads up to the game in which 
two children choose sides, the two groups being given 
alternate turns. Two children keep score on the 
board. 

—The idea for the above game was suggested by a drill in 
the Normal Instructor and Primary Plans 


148 


XV 


DICE 

Second Grade 

Each child has a die made of clay and plays with 
the child sitting nearest him. These two children 
throw the dice at the same time and the one who 
throws the larger number wins the difference be¬ 
tween it and the smaller number. Each child keeps 
his own score. 

The goal may be set at any number, as 15, the game 
then being to see which of two children first obtains 
the number 15 as the sum of his score column. 

—Original 


149 


XVI 


THE RACE 
Phonetic Game 

Second Grade 

Send several children to the blackboard. See 
who can build the most words in one or two minutes, 
using one phonogram, as ing, at, ng. 

The winner chooses children to pass to the board. 

Vary by sending two children instead of the entire 
row. 

This game naturally carries over to the occupation 
period, when the children make phonetic books, plac¬ 
ing in their books the “family groups” as learned. 

—Original 


150 


XVII 


CHAMPIONSHIP OF TEN OR ELEVEN 

[According to the Number of Cards Used in the 
Game] 

Second Grade 

One child comes to the front of the room with cards 
numbering from 2 to 12. Two children are chosen 
to stand behind him to work for the championship. 

The class decides on any number to be used, say 3. 
(Addition.) 

The child holding the cards shows them to the class 
one at a time. 

When a card is held up, say 8, the class says, 
“Eleven” (8+3). 

The first of the two children to give the number 
shown to the class receives the card. This continues 
until the cards have all been shown. Then each player 
counts his cards and the champion is the one who 
holds the greatest number of cards. The champion 
then becomes the holder of the cards for the next 
game. —Adapted from Primary Education 


151 



Who Has the Rabbit?—2A-B Grade 















XVIII 


WHO HAS THE RABBIT? 

Second Grade 

Preparation : 

1. Children make sixteen cards out of cardboard. 

2. On twelve of these cards they print difficult com. 

binations of any given numbers, say ten, eleven or 
twelve. Print them in pairs, as 5 7 

7’5’ etC ' 

3. On three other cards print the answers to the 
combinations (10, 11 or 12); on the last or sixteenth 
card, the teacher stamps a rabbit. 

Rules : 

Two children play against each other. One child 
separates the answer cards from the deck and lays 
them down where both can see them, then deals the 
remainder of the cards. 

1. Each draws in turn. 

2. All match cards with partners. That is, if one 
child chooses to play a 4, his opponent must choose a 
6, 7 or 8, according to which of the answer cards he 
wishes to build upon. 

3. Lay matched cards down by answer card until 
all cards are matched but the rabbit. 

4. The player who holds the rabbit loses the game. 

153 


XIX 


TIT-TAT-TOE 

Second Grade 

Word cards are placed in a circle on the floor. The 
children stand or sit about this circle. A child is 
chosen and is told to step to center of circle and to 
close his eyes. This child is given a pointer. He 
moves his pointer around the circle and repeats , i i Tit- 
tat-toe, ’ ’ stops his pointer, opens his eyes and names 
the word on which his pointer stops. He continues 
until he cannot give the word. The child getting the 
most words wins the game. 

Vary the game by using phrases in place of words, 
or by spelling words or sounding letters, naming 
figures, or giving answers to combinations. 

Any game brought over from the playground is 
valuable as an added interest, a link between the 
outdoor play and schoolroom game. —Original 


154 


XX 


POST-OFFICE 

Third Grade 

One child is chosen salesman of a post-card store. 
Each child purchases any number of cards from one 
to ten. After all have purchased cards, each one 
decides how many he is going to mail, how many 
stamps it will take, and the cost of them, and how 
many cards he will have left after he has mailed 
some. Each child then purchases his stamps. He 
must make sure that he receives the correct change. 
To be sure of this, he tells the class as he buys the 
cards, how much money he had, the cost of the stamps 
and the amount of change received. 

As: 

I bought 5 cards. 

I mailed 3 of them. 

I have 2 cards left. 

My cards cost 3 cents and my stamps 3 cents. 

I spent 6 cents. 

I have 4 cents left. —Adapted 


155 


XXI 


CHECKERS 

Third Grade 


A checker-board like the above is drawn on the 
blackboard. Place figures in red squares. The num¬ 
ber of children to take part in the game is determined 
by the number of figures in a row of the checker¬ 
board. If the above square is used, four children can 
play the game at one time. Before the children be¬ 
gin to play, the teacher mentions a number which is 
usually in the top row of the checker-board and the 
players work to reach that number, the winner being 
the one who reaches the number first. 


156 






















CHECKERS 157 

Rules for Playing the Game : 

1. The children with pointers start at any figure 
in the bottom row of the checker-board. There must 
be one player for every figure in the bottom row. 
The players move from red block to red block, add¬ 
ing the numbers on two red blocks and giving an¬ 
swers as they do so. 

2. The child at the left usually has the first move, 
the child next to him the next move and so on. 

3. When two pointers are so placed that one can 
skip over another to a red block beyond, the player 
does so, adding the numbers on the three blocks and 
giving the sum. 

4. If a player is so cornered that he cannot move 
without moving backwards, he is allowed to miss his 
turn and wait for the next. 

5. The first child to reach the number necessary 
to win the game, declares the game ended. 

6. Anyone making a mistake returns to the start¬ 
ing point. —Original 


XXII 


COVER UP 

Third Grade 

Class is divided into several groups. One child 
from each group goes to the blackboard and closes 
eyes while another child covers some word in a list 
of words on the board. At a signal they look to find 
which word is missing and then see who can write it 
first on the board. The game continues until all words 
have been written, each child in class having a turn. 

Change this game by using short phrases or phono¬ 
grams, or by spelling the word erased. 

Variation or the Game : 

Make the list on the board name or action words. 
The children illustrate the word erased by drawing 
on the board, pointing to the object, or dramatizing. 


158 


XXIII 


RING TOSS 


Third Grade 


6X3 

9X3 

2X3 

3X3 

/l2X3\ 

• 

10X3 

5X3 

8X3 

7X3 



Play on the floor. A stake and fonr rings are neces¬ 
sary. Divide the class into four groups. One child 
tosses the ring, trying to get it over the stake. If he 
does, it counts 12 x 3. If he does not, it falls into one 
of the squares. Each child keeps his score on the 
blackboard. After all have played, four pupils, one 
from each group, add the scores of the four sides. 
The side having the largest score wins. 

159 







XXIV 


DOMINOES 
Drill on Table of 2’s 

Third Grade 

Use dominoes or domino-cards up to double six. 

Each player draws two dominoes. 

Any double is placed face upward on the table. 
The other dominoes are face downward. 

Follow the usual rules for the game of dominoes. 

The players give their score as they play. Their 
score is obtained by giving the sum of the ends of 
the domino line and telling how many two’s are in 
that sum. The number of two’s is their score. 

For example: If the ends are two and four, the 
player scores 3, because there are three two’s in six. 
Doubles are played‘cross-wise and hence are counted 
double, that is, double four counts eight. 

Any other number may be made the basis of scor¬ 
ing. Also dominoes may be matched to all four sides 
of each double, increasing the number of possible 
plays and giving drill in the handling of larger num¬ 
bers. 

The player who is first to play out all his dominoes, 
declares the game ended. The one who has the high¬ 
est score wins. 


160 


XXV 


TAKE TEN, ELEVEN OR TWELVE 

Third Grade 

For twenty players, prepare twenty packs of ma- 
nila cards, 12 to a pack. Print numbers 0 to 12 on 
them. The cards are shuffled thoroughly and are 
then spread face downward on the table. 

The object of the game is to hold the cards that 
add up to ten. One point is scored for the player 
whose cards add to exactly ten. No score is allowed 
for any other sum. The game is decided by the high¬ 
est score made when all cards are played. 

All the players simultaneously draw a card twice 
around. Anyone having two cards whose sum is ten, 
stands, announcing it to the class while the rest draw 
for a third time, trying to get three numbers whose 
sum is ten. The lucky ones all announce their sums 
to the class and place the cards behind them. The 
play continues until the cards are exhausted. 

—Adapted from game “Twenty-One” in Teachers’ 
College Record 


161 


XXVI 


FILL IN THE BLANKS 

Third Grade 

Write sentences on the board, making several 
copies and leaving blanks to be filled in with words 
from the spelling list. Several children representing 
different groups go to the board to fill in the blanks. 
Keep score. 

Play also with rhyming words, as, 

Rain, rain, go away, 

Come again some other -. 

In any game of this kind there is generally a lead¬ 
ing-on interest, as the keeping of individual score- 
cards, or a class-record to tally the scores day by day, 
or a book of rhymes. 


Note for Mora (page 163) 

1 This game is played in many countries and is very old. It was 
played by the Romans, who called it finger-flashing. It is played by 
the Italians of today. There are several ways of playing it, but the 
above is adapted to the use of classes of children. Swiftness is an 
element to be developed in answering. This game is useful in teach¬ 
ing close observation and accuracy. Through it the children auto¬ 
matically learn the multiplication table when counting by 2’s, 3’s, 
4’s, etc. 


162 




XXVII 



MORA’ OR COUNTING GAME 

Third Grade 

The children sit in a circle. Each one holds np (by 
I’s, 2*s, 3’s, 4’s, 5*s) the same number of fingers from 
one to five, as decided upon. Each one guesses how 


Mora or Counting Game—3A-B Grade 

many he thinks are up. One child in the center 
actually counts the fingers, as by 3’s, by 4’s, etc. 
The child who guesses nearest the correct number 
is the next to stand in the center. (See note, p. 162.) 

—Adapted from Teachers’ College Record 


163 







XXVIII 


THREE TIMES AND OUT 

Third Grade 

In this game one set of cards numbering from one 
to twelve is used. 

There are two sides, twelve on a side. 

Children in the outside circle hold no cards. 

Twelve children, facing the outside circle and each 
holding a card so it can easily be seen, form an inside 
circle. 

Object is for “outside people’’ to get “inside.” 

A member of the outer circle starts the game by 
calling six three times (as 6, 6, 6), or any number he 
sees in the inner circle. If the child holding the num¬ 
ber does not begin a combination of it before the 
child outside finishes, he is “ caught. ’ ’ He then gives 
his card to the child outside and they exchange 
places. The second child proceeds the same as the 
first. 

The child who is not caught once is the victor. 

If a child is caught more than three times, he is 
out of the game. —Original 


164 


XXIX 


MATCHING GAME 

Third Grade 

Object: To Give Drill and Practice in Making 
Combinations, as of 14. 

Gronp-players are seated at a table or on a floor 
mat. 

Each player is given six number cards from a pack 
of many cards with numbers from 1 to 14. Cards 
used are large manila-pasteboard, size 3"x 5". 

Each player places his pack of six cards face down 
ward in front of him. 

Decide upon a combination; as 14. 

Player One turns his top card face up in front of 
his pile. Two does the same, hoping with One’s card 
to equal (match) 14. 

For example: One turns 9, Two turns 5. Two places 
his 5 on One’s 9, saying, ‘ ‘ 9 and 5 are 14. ’ ’ Two turns 
his next top card, matching One’s new top card if 
possible. If Two’s card, when turned up, fails to 
match One’s card, then Two places his card in front 
of his own pack, and Three continues, matching his 
top card, if possible, with Two’s top card. Next child 
plays, and so on. If a mistake is made, the first child 
to see it calls, 4 4 Mistake, ’ ’ and gives the top card from 

165 


166 


PLAYS AND GAMES 


his “face-down” pack to the child making the mis¬ 
take. Anyone who has a card matching that of the 
one making the mistake gives the latter his card 
which matches, placing it face up on the card it 
matches and giving the combination aloud. If a 
card turned should match the top card on a child’s 
own pack, he may give the combination and have an¬ 
other turn. The child getting rid of all his cards first, 
wins. —Original 


XXX 


CHANGING CARDS GAME 

Third Grade 

In this game twenty-two sets of cards numbering 
from naught to eight consecutively are used for 
twenty players. It is well to divide the cards into 
three piles, placing all the naught’s, one’s, three’s 
and five’s alternately in one pile, the two’s and four’s 
in another pile, and six’s, seven’s and eight’s alter¬ 
nately in another pile. Thus one pile contains 0,1, 3, 
5; 0, 1, 3, 5, etc. Let three children deal the cards, 
each child taking a pile. Three cards are dealt to 
each player, one at a time, and six, face upward, in 
the center of the circle, two at a time. 

The object of the game is to hold three cards that 
together make eleven or twelve or any number you 
wish. If the players are trying to get three num¬ 
bers whose sum is twelve, the one or ones whose 
cards add up to exactly twelve, stand, announcing 
that they are “satisfied.” 

The game is played as follows: Each player in 
turn, beginning with the one on the left of the dealer, 
chooses a card from the table, substituting one from 
his own hand in its place. The play continues until 
all players have a turn. Then those who are satis¬ 
fied give their combination aloud, as ‘ ‘ Four and two 
167 


168 


PLAYS AND GAMES 


are six, and six are twelve.’ ’ The children call these 
three cards a book and those having them place them 
on the floor, while those who were unable to ex¬ 
change cards so they could get a book, say, “I pass, 77 
and discard their cards. The dealers deal from the 
remainder of the pack as before, this time the chil¬ 
dren may try to get three numbers whose sum is 
thirteen. 

The play continues until the cards are exhausted, 
when the one having the most books wins. 

In games like the preceding, children soon recog¬ 
nize the need for number drill, and they seek to ac¬ 
quire the skill necessary in order that they may form 
a part of the group to play the game. 

The game furnishes adequate motivation. 

—Adapted from the game “Thirty-One” in Teachers’ 
College Record 


XXXI 


RELAY GAME 

Third Grade 

Each child has a sheet of paper and pencil. As the 
scoring is done by rows, there should be an even 
number of children in each row. The teacher places 
an example on the blackboard. The children copy and 
solve it,-then skip to the front of the row and place 
their papers in the order finished on a chair (placed 
there for that purpose). At the end of the given time, 
the children stop working. The example on the board 
is then worked out by the whole class. Then the scor¬ 
ing is done. 

Scoring: The first correct paper scores one, the 
second correct paper, two, the third, three, etc. A 
child is stationed at the board to write scores as 
the teacher calls them. At the end of the game, 
scores are added and the winning row found. 

The contest may also be between boys and girls or 
between sides chosen in any manner suggested by the 
children. 

—Original 


169 


XXXII 


NUMBER BUILDING 
Floor Game 

Third Grade 

For twenty players prepare twenty sets of cards 
numbered from naught to twelve. 

Let the children sit in a circle on the floor. 

Each player places his cards, stacked, face down¬ 
ward in front of him. The game begins by each player 
turning over his top card. 

The leader begins by calling the figure on his top 
card. 

If it is the sum of two other numbers in sight, he 
places it on top of them, gives the combination aloud 
and forms a book. 

If he cannot match with his first card, he draws 
another card and tries to make a book. 

The next player continues the game. 

The first player to get three different books wins 
the game. 

This game also may be used as a drill in multipli¬ 
cation. 

—Adapted to grade from the game “Number Building,” 
in Teachers’ College Record 


170 


XXXIII 


WHO SPELLS FIRST? 

Third Grade 

The children stand in two rows, all facing the 
board except the first child in each row. A child with 
a pointer points to some word in a list written on the 
board. The word is pronounced by those facing the 
board and spelled by the two who have their backs 
turned. The one who spells first remains standing 
while the other sits and the next in line takes his 
place. The object is to see which row can stand the 
longer time. 


XXXIV 

MEMORY SPEED-GAME 

[See Word List, Game XXXIII] 

Erase the entire list of words. Choose one child 
from each group or row to write the words from 
memory, seeing who can finish in the shortest time. 
Keep score. 


171 


XXXV 


SOLITAIRE 

Third Grade 

Decks of cards may be made by the children. Use 
manila cardboard and printing press. Each deck 
consists of two sets of cards numbering from 1 to 
20, inclusive, and six picture cards, making in all 52 
cards. The picture cards may be educational, such 
as the Arm and Hammer Baking Soda, bird cards 
mounted on manila cardboard, etc. In order to play 
the game, the cards must first be shuffled and held 
face downward. Taking the cards from the top of the 
deck, place them on the desk in three rows, four cards 
in a row, thus making 12 cards on the desk, face up. 
Remove any two cards, the sum of which is twenty. 
Fill in the vacant spaces with cards taken from those 
held in the hand. If there is no combination of 
20 on the desk, the child may turn over the top card 
of those he is holding. If this fails in giving a com¬ 
bination of 20, the player loses and must start over. 
The object is to fill all spaces made vacant by re¬ 
moving cards, the combination of which was 20, with 
the picture cards, of which there are twelve in a deck. 

—Original 


172 


XXXVI 


VERB GAMES 

Third Grade 

Preparation : 

Make cards with principal parts of verbs com¬ 
monly incorrectly used, as 

1. do, did, done 

2. see, saw, seen 

3. run, ran, run 

4. eat, ate, eaten 

5. grow, grew, grown 

6. sing, sang, sung 

7. speak, spoke, spoken 

I—Authors 

One child in the group holds all the cards. As she 
reads the verb on each card, the child who uses it 
correctly in a sentence takes the card. When all the 
cards have been given out, each child is given the 
opportunity to dispose of the cards he does not need 
for his “Book.” 

He reads the verb on each card he cannot use, 
and the child who is making a book of the prin¬ 
cipal parts of that verb will make an effort to obtain 
it by using it correctly in a sentence. After each 


174 


PLAYS AND GAMES 


child holding cards has read his odd cards once, they 
are reread, giving the children another opportunity 
to obtain the cards they wish. 

The game may he discontinued at any time after 
the cards have been distributed. The winner is the 
child holding the most books, each book being com¬ 
posed of the principal parts of a verb. -Adapted 

II —Language Match 

Choose sides as in spelling match. Deal cards. 
Each child gives sentences, using principal parts of 
his verbs. 

The side having the greatest number standing 
after each child has had his turn wins. 


—Adapted 


XXXVII 


BOXES 

Third Grade 

Place the numbers on the board in the following 
manner (lines omitted): 



Have several groups of children playing. The first 
child in each group will give the sum of two adjacent 
numbers. If he gives the sum correctly he will join 
the two numbers with a line. For example, if the child 
says, “Nine and eight are seventeen,” he will join 
9 and 8 with a straight line. The next child will give 
175 












176 


PLAYS AND GAMES 


the sum of two numbers and join the two numbers. 
The children will proceed, playing until all numbers 
are joined. 

If, for instance, 9 and 8, 9 and 7, 8 and 4, are 
joined, the child who joins 4 and 7 has formed a box 
and places his initials in it. Then he is given another 
turn. The object of the game is to see who will com¬ 
plete the greatest number of boxes. Each child will 
try to form a box for himself and also try to join two 
numbers which will prevent the next players from 
forming a box, by skipping from square to square. 

This game may also be used as a drill for multi¬ 
plication tables. The children give the product in¬ 
stead of the sum of the two numbers. 

It is well to start a game with easy combinations 
until the technique is mastered, when the repetition 
of the harder combinations as, 5+8, 6+9, 8+9, etc., 
will make the game interesting for some days. 

—Original 


XXXVIII 


GROUP-READING GAME 

Third Grade 

Preparation : 

(a) The teacher selects a group of children of 
about equal reading ability. 

(b) Two children choose sides; to be known as 
“blues’’ and “reds.” 

(c) A score-keeper is chosen. 

(d) Suitable reading material which presents no 
great difficulty is selected by the teacher. 

(e) The teacher gives previous practice in finding 
“key words” (central thoughts) of rather short por¬ 
tions of a story. 

The use of introductory words such as why, which 
ivhen, where and how often helps a child to express 
his key word. 

Illustration : 

Where was Red Riding Hood going? 

Why did Red Riding Hood stop in the woods ? 

Procedure: 

The following rules of the game are decided upon: 

1. The time limit shall be two or three minutes for 
the reading of each portion. 

177 



Group Reading—3A-B Grade 







GROUP-READING GAME 


179 


2. The teacher shall say ‘ ‘ Begin, 7 7 and ‘ 4 Time 7 7 for 
each such reading. 

3. The teacher is to tell how far the children are 
to read each time, as “Read to the words ‘through 
the woods.’ ” 

4. As a child completes the reading of the desig¬ 
nated portion and thinks of a good key word, he shall 
stand. All must stand when time is called. 

5. The children on each side shall give their key 
words and the teacher will write them on the hoard. 
The best is selected and the tally-keeper marks the 
score. 

The game continues with the next portion to be 
read. 


XXXIX 


RACE AT THE BOARD 

Third Grade 

Send three pupils to the blackboard. Place these 
children in such positions that the class can easily 
watch them. Some pupil dictates a word from the 
lesson and then counts 1, 2, 3. Upon count 3, each 
writes the word dictated and the class watches to 
see who wins (is first to complete the word correctly). 
The winner dictates in the same manner another 
word to he written by three other pupils selected by 
the teacher. Good penmanship counts. 

In any game the teacher should give careful atten¬ 
tion to the formation of right habits. Inaccuracy, 
scribbling or copying are not permissible. 

It is understood that to do means to do one's best. 


180 


XL 


NUMBER MATCH 

Third Grade 

Make combinations on manila cards as 

4 2 5 
3 6 4 

Two children choose sides. 

The teacher flashes a card to the leader of one side; 
if he misses, No. 1 on the other side has a turn, as in a 
spelling match. 

Those who miss stand in the ‘ ‘ pot ’’ in the center be¬ 
tween the two lines. They can get out of the pot 
(when called upon) by answering correctly when a 
child in either line misses. 

The larger side at the close of the game wins. 

Variation of the Game: 

Children form a circle with the teacher in the cen¬ 
ter. The teacher names a leader and then flashes a 
card. If the leader’s answer is correct he sits, other¬ 
wise the game continues around the circle until the 
right answer is given. Other cards are flashed. Chil¬ 
dren left standing are in the 4 ‘pot.” 


181 


—Original 


XLI 


TIT-TAT-TOE 

Third Grade 


0,2,4,6 


1, 3,5,7 


0 

4 

2 

5 

3 

i 

- 5 

3 

_1_ 

7 - 

_1_ 

io ib io 


10 


In Tit-tat-toe, place as many large squares (figures 
omitted) like the above on the board as space allows. 

Two children play at each square. They play al¬ 
ternately, with different checks (x, ). Choose 10 

for the answers. 

The two different checks are used as a means of 
identifying the 10’s at end of game. The children 
check each 10 as they get it. 

One child may write only the numbers 0, 2, 4, 6— 
the other child may write only 1, 3, 5, 7. 

However, each may use his opponent’s figures 
when playing. 

These three numbers whose sum is 10 must be 


182 







TIT-TAT-TOE 


183 


placed in the square either vertically, horizontally or 
diagonally, when playing. 

The object of the game is stated before the chil¬ 
dren begin to play. It usually is to get three num¬ 
bers whose sum is 9, 10, 11 or 12. The teacher may 
say, “Try to get three numbers whose sum is 10.” 
Then all the children at all the squares try to get 
three numbers whose sum is 10. 

After all the spaces within the squares are tilled, 
the one having the greatest number of 10’s is the 
victor. 

This game can be made more difficult by letting 
one player use the numbers 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, while the 
other player uses 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. Then let players work 
to get three numbers whose sum is 14,15,16. 

This game is a favorite with the children, who in 
time become expert in blocking their partner’s 
moves. — Original 


XLII 


PLAYING GROCERY STORE 

Part I 

Third Grade 

Situation : 

Everything but the shelves was furnished and 
arranged by the children. Empty baking powder 
cans, breakfast food, coffee and spice boxes, extract 
bottles, soap wrappers, etc., were brought from 
home. These the children filled with sawdust, white 
sand or whatever made them seem most realistic. The 
packages were pasted to make them look like new and 
then arranged on the shelves. This was all done 
between bells and during indoor rest periods. Toy 
telephones and desk bells provided splendid tele¬ 
phone service and helped to make it all more like the 
real thing and more interesting. 

Method 

No doubt there are many ways of conducting a 
store of this kind, but the value of the same is to be 
determined by the various skills which are intro¬ 
duced, as language, number work, songs and games. 

The work, as a whole, has a very practical side, for 
the children make their own change, take telephone 
orders, make out and receipt bills, charge accounts 

184 


PLAYING GROCERY STORE 


185 


and C. 0. D. ’s. Much of this should be taken as lan¬ 
guage blackboard work before the class is ready to 
“go into business.” Before the opening day one les¬ 
son should be devoted to making out real bills, do¬ 
nated by a nearby grocer. 

Story Lesson 

If we are going to have a store and buy and sell, 
we shall need money. Do you know where we get 
money? (Introducing mints, cities where they are 
located, etc.) Out of what do they make money? 
(Introducing metals, mines, etc.) 

Of what is a dime made? A penny? A quarter? 
Five dollars, etc.? (Coming into contact with real 
money and studying the same as to value, etc.) 

These and similar questions lead to the study of 
mines, metals and money, which provide language 
and geography lessons. 

Games 

1. The children are seated in a circle on the floor. 
Each child has a number of pieces of toy money in 
his hand. One at a time around the circle they ask 
for change from any other member of the class. The 
child making the change counts it as he does so. 

2. This game is played by making the circle as 
before and each child taking the amount and number 
of pieces of money he wishes with him from his box 
on his desk. With the money in his hand he will 


186 


PLAYS AND GAMES 


ask, “I have fifty cents (or the amount he actually 
holds) in my hand. What pieces of money have I?” 
The child guessing correctly continues the game by 
asking the same question, but stating the amount he 
holds in his hand. 

3. For this game we form another circle. One child 
at a time holds up one piece of money (say one dollar) 
and asks, “How many nickels in one dollar?” The 
child answering correctly shows a piece (say one-half 
dollar) and asks, “How many dimes in one-half 
dollar?” etc. 

4. To play this game, money of exact size is drawn 
on the hoard. 



One child asks another to “Erase the piece that 
equals two quarters. ’’ The second child then erases 
a one-half dollar coin. Another problem , i ‘ Erase the 
piece that equals one dime, two nickels and five pen¬ 
nies.” This child erases a quarter, at the same time 
stating that one dime, two nickels and five pennies 
are the same as one quarter. 



PLAYING GROCERY STORE 


187 


Pkoblems 

Problems like the following are written on slips 
of paper and one given to each member of the class: 

1. I had a dollar. My bill was fifty cents. How 
much change did I receive ! 

2. I had fifty cents. The store-keeper gave me 
twenty-five cents for change. What was my bill! 

3. My bill amounted to seventy-five cents. My 
change was twenty-five cents. How much money did 
I take to the store! 

4. I went to the store with two dimes, one nickel 
and five pennies. I didn’t get any change. What was 
my bill! 

Many games and problems may be worked out sim¬ 
ilar to the above. 


XLIII 


PLAYING GROCERY STORE 
Part II 

Third Grade 

Material for the general store is furnished by 
Model Store Keeping Co. and by the children. Cash 
register, telephones, toy money may be used. En¬ 
velopes make good pocketbooks. Some storekeepers 
will give away bill pads. Exhibits of rubber, cotton, 
silk, cocoa are owned by most schools. 

1. One child is chosen salesman. He wears his cap 
and carries a box containing some exhibit. He comes 
to the store, asks to see the proprietor, displays his 
goods, telling how they are made, where they come 
from, and then takes the order. As the salesman 
writes the order, the class writes with him. He gives 
the amount of the bill. One of the class corrects him 
if he is wrong. 

2. One pupil has a toy telephone on his desk. He 
calls up the grocery and gives an order to the clerk. 
The clerk fills out the order and gives it to the deliv¬ 
ery boy, who takes it to that pupil and gives correct 
change. 

3. Another pupil goes to the store to buy. He pays 
for what he gets. 


188 


PLAYING GROCERY STORE 


189 


4. One child is proprietor. Two pupils pretend 
that they are coming from school. They stop in the 
grocery and say something like this : “We were talk¬ 
ing about sugar in school today. Could you tell us 
how we get sugar V’ The clerk then gives the infor¬ 
mation he has received in a previous geography 
lesson. 

5. One child is the teacher. She asks the children 
to solve this problem: ‘ ‘ See how many articles you 
can buy for $1.00, as: 


1 lb. of coffee.$0.30 

3 cans cleanser.15 

1 pr. rubber heels.50 

1 box matches.05 

$1.00 


Other methods of playing suggest themselves. 







XLIV 


PLAYING GROCERY STORE 
Part III 

Third Grade 

A clerk is chosen from several children who have 
acted as clerks at a real store. The children vote for 
Doral because he is the best. Toy money of different 
denominations is placed on each child’s desk. Each 
one has a pencil and a piece of paper on his desk. 

Mary goes to the store and buys a box of Grape- 
Nuts, a box of Jello and a small cake of chocolate. 

Doral: Grape-Nuts, 18c; Jello, 15c; cake of choco¬ 
late, 6c. 

The children write these prices on their papers, 
using dollar and cents signs, and add them. 

Mary: I gave him 50c. 

Doral calls on different children to give the change 
he should receive. If pupils do not give the correct 
answer, the teacher works the problem on the hoard 
with the children. 

The store idea may be used in multiplication. 

Doral: I am going to sell out. Here are five pack- 
190 


PLAYING GROCERY STORE 


191 


ages of Rolled Oats at 18c a package. Wliat is the 
price of all! 

Children at seats work out answer. 

Ruth: 90c. 

Doral: Yes. 

He sells them to her, providing she has enough 
money. 

Teacher: Each boy and girl, write on your paper 
one thing you would like to buy this morning. What 
did you write, Marion? 

Marion: Corn Flakes. 

Teacher: All write Corn Flakes. 

Edith: Candy. 

Teacher: All write Candy. 

Teacher continues this until she knows what each 
child has written. Then she writes the following on 
the board: 

4 packages of Corn Flakes 

5 packages of Jello 

3 packages of Oatmeal 

6 pieces of Candy 

One child is chosen to buy the Corn Flakes. The 
four packages are placed on the table so that the 
class can see them. 

Teacher: How many packages are here? 

Children: Four. 


192 


PLAYS AND GAMES 


The teacher places 4 on the board. 

Teacher: Everett, take one package. How many 
packages has he, Dorothy? 

Dorothy: One. 

Teacher writes one above the four, thus, 1/4. 

Teacher: What part of all the packages has Ev¬ 
erett? 

Edward: One-fourth. 

Teacher: Then what does one-fourth of four equal? 

Edward: One-fourth of four equals one. 

In a similar manner, develop %, %, %, etc., 

from the purchase of the four, five, three and six 
articles. 

In playing grocery store the teacher sets the situa¬ 
tion with materials, and the children’s initiative plans 
for the particular game. 

Just as a formal game may be raised to a higher 
level of effort, so the skill acquired in playing a for¬ 
mal game may furnish an incentive for a project. 


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